6 North is focused on Handoffs and Transitions

Last year, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital surveyed staff working 20 hours or more with direct contact to patients using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) Safety Culture Survey. Our results showed continued improvement in many areas, however Handoffs and Transitions proved to be an area of concern. This Patient Safety Awareness Week, we would like to highlight 6 North and their hard work to make improvements to safety culture.

“We have identified the need to optimize and standardize handoff reports for PCA staff,” says Nurse Director Suzelle Saint-Eloi, MS, RN. “To do this, we began using a PCA report sheet that identifies important tasks and patient safety interventions such as mobility status, fall and pressure injury prevention strategies. The PCA report sheet promotes safer handoffs and transitions, as well as teamwork within the unit.”

6 North has also identified the need to optimize bedside shift reports and will begin using IPASS this spring to support strong handoffs and transitions. IPASS identifies illness severity, patient summary, action plan and situational awareness to facilitate a safe handoff.

“Completing the bedside shift report will help ensure safe continuity of care and improve the delivery of best clinical practices,” explains Saint-Eloi. “Ultimately the benefits of bedside reporting include increased teamwork, better relationships among nurses and mitigation of potential gaps in care.”