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.