Systematic Review of Quality Improvement Projects Related to Intershift Nursing Handover

Background Nursing handover is a real-time process in which patient-specific information is passed between nurses to ensure the continuity and safety of patient care. Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of quality improvement (QI) projects in improving the intershift nursing handover process. Methods A computerized search was performed of electronic databases for articles published during 2009-2019 in English or Korean for which the full texts were available. The included studies involved QI projects, handover between nurses, and intershift handover. The QI-MQCS (Quality Improvement Minimum Quality Criteria Set) was used to appraise the quality of QI strategies. Results The handover methods used in the 22 QI projects could be broadly divided into 2 types: (1) using a standardized communication tool; and (2) involving patient-participation bedside handover. Conclusions The published research on intershift handover-related QI projects employed standardized communication tools and the patient-participation bedside handover method to reduce adverse events and handover times and increase the satisfaction of patients and nurses. Future studies should measure the changes in patient safety-related outcomes.