AHRQ Patient Safety Network ► Improving clinical handover between intensive care unit and general ward professionals at intensive care unit discharge.

AHRQ Patient Safety Network



Improving clinical handover between intensive care unit and general ward professionals at intensive care unit discharge.

van Sluisveld N, Hesselink G, van der Hoeven JG, Westert G, Wollersheim H, Zegers M. Intensive Care Med. 2015 Feb 12; [Epub ahead of print].

This systematic review revealed that limited evidence exists exploring handoffs from intensive care units to general wards, and most of the studies identified were of low quality. Two promising interventions include employing liaison nurses working across multiple settings and structured communication, which has been shown to improve handoffs. The authors advocate for these interventions to be tested widely in rigorous studies to determine their effectiveness.

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