Patient Handoffs: Pediatric Resident Experiences and Lessons Learned

Background: Within pediatrics, there is a paucity of data on pediatric resident handoff systems. Methods: Seventy-seven of 139 eligible pediatric housestaff participated in a cross-sectional survey that was distributed at an annual residency fall retreat in September 2007. Results: Seventy-three percent of the respondents noted uncertainty regarding patient care plans due to receipt of an incomplete verbal handoff. Nursing questions, phone, and page interruptions were noted barriers to giving an effective verbal sign-out. Personal fatigue was also reported to affect the accuracy of housestaff’s written sign-outs more than verbal sign-outs (43% vs 23%, P = .026). Only 19% of the residents reported that written sign-outs were reflective of current patient information and care plans. Conclusion: Written and verbal patient handoffs were perceived by pediatric housestaff to be important parts of patient care but often incomplete. New systems that provide a more protected handoff environment, reduce housestaff fatigue, and standardize the handoff procedure may be useful.