Handover - that time when nurses get together to inform the next shift and give them all the information they need to provide good continuity of care ... Or at least that's the theory! In reality the quality of handover varies greatly.

I remember very clearly being totally confused by handover as a student nurse, the abbreviations were the worst - I once sat through a handover in which the nurse kept talking about "cabbages" I was totally flummoxed, it wasn't until after the handover that another student nurse explained that a "cabbage" was in fact a "CABG" - or coronary artery bypass graft ! As an agency nurse I found that handover became of paramount importance yet was shocked  when a nurse who was meant to be handing over to me told me that I didn't need handover as I was just an agency nurse! I have taken part in taped handovers, written handovers, staggered handovers, slow handovers and those all too speedy handovers.  Nursing handover has made me laugh and add me cry. handover is an important part of nursing life, time to give and receive vital information and for nursing teams to bond.

Entwistle (2015) states that there are three elements to handing over a patients care:

Past – Historical information. The patient’s diagnosis, anything the team needs to knowabout them and their treatment plan.

Present – Current presentation. How the patient has been this shift and any changes totheir treatment plan. 

Future – What still needs to be done. Tasks and care that need to carriedforward

Whilst Davey & Cole (2015) identify two handover communication tools:

SBAR: Situation – Background – Assessment – Recommendation.

ISABAR: Identify – Situation – Obs – Background – Assessment –Recommendation

However a Cochrane Review (2014)  concluded that there is uncertainty about the most effective handover practice and recommended further research in the area.

This WeNurses discussion aims to address handover and ask some of the following questions:

• What is the purpose of handover?

• What makes a good handover?

• What should we avoid when handing over?

• Whatis the evidence and research around handover?

• Does handover work? Is there a better way?

• What sorts of handover have you been involved in and what has worked well?