Standardization of inpatient handoff communication.

Jewell JA; Committee on Hospital Care. Pediatrics. 2016;138:e20162681.

Handoffs at shift changes are vulnerable to communication errors, which can result in patient harm. This guideline describes how to improve handoffs, including by standardizing content, dedicating certain locations and time periods to reduce interruptions, and using technological resources to augment accuracy of handoff information. A past PSNet perspective discussed safe inpatient handovers.

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