Clinical Handover

Improvement

Project Sponsor: Dr Rod Harpin

Project Facilitator: Jacqui Cox
Project Support: Sheryll Beveridge
 Aim

To standardise general rotation house officer

handover content and process for the day to
evening and evening to night house officer shift
changes.
 Goal
By the end of June 2012 all general rotation
house officers (RMOs) will use an agreed
process at the day to evening and evening to
night shift changes.

The change management approach will based

on the OSSIE clinical handover guidelines
METHOD:

Used the OSSIE guide to Clinical

Handover improvement
implementation toolkit for project
planning and utilising the PDSA
quality improvement method for
project design (ACSQHC, 2010).
Results and measures
 Rapid Response Patients on the
Night House Officer Handover
70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
Partial Uptake Full Uptake
 Pilot group trialled the TrendCare programme Allocate
Medical Handover

SBAR communication tool provided the framework for the

documentation of patient information within Trendcare
handover
 KEY OUTCOMES:
Introduced and trialled an electronic handover programme
to be used as the clinical handover tool for all general
rotation house officers.

Commenced a formal night handover process and location

which is led by the Rapid Response Nurse.

Initiated a review of the house officer contract to include a

shift crossover period for medical handover at night and
early morning.
 Summary:

The OSSIE guide can be used as a project planning tool

for handover improvement projects.

Extending the role of the Rapid Response team to support

the night house officer role and also to sustain the house
officer clinical handover process.

Development of a unique medical handover whiteboard

which integrates various inputs and is aligned with the
SBAR communication tool.
 CHALLENGES
Lack of integration of clinical information on current software

Task vs. SBAR handover, JUMP

Contractual protected handover time did not exist

Task overload outside routine hours.

Sustainability: Rapid response nurse led

Questions