Change‐of‐Shift Nursing Handoff Interruptions: Implications for Evidence‐Based Practice.

Rhudy LM, Johnson MR, Krecke CA, Keigley DS, Schnell SJ, Maxson PM, McGill SM, Warfield KT. Change‐of‐Shift Nursing Handoff Interruptions: Implications for Evidence‐Based Practice. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. Oct, 2019 [epub July, 2019];16(5):362-370.

Nursing handoffs at change of shift are critical for nurses to exchange information about patients; disruptions have been associated with adverse events. After observing 100 nurse-to-nurse handoffs and conducting four focus groups, authors identified multiple sources of disruptions including those by patients and family members, which accounted for half the interruptions outside of the nurse handoff dyad. Nurses identified some interruptions as valuable and relevant to patient care.

PubMed citation

Available at