Effect of Structured Handover Communication Framework on Postoperative Handover Communication Between Operating Room and Post-Anesthesia Care Unit in Oncology Center
Haneen Al Kouz, Dana Abu Siris, Mohammed Al-Shrafi, Mukhles Hasan, Ghazi Al-OdatBackground
Effective patient handover between the Operating Room (OR) and Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) is critical for patient safety and continuity of care. Miscommunication during handover can lead to adverse events, particularly in surgical settings where multiple professionals collaborate.
Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of implementing ISBAR on the quality of postoperative handover and to assess nurses’ and anesthetists’ knowledge and attitudes toward its use.
Methods
A pretest–posttest interventional study was conducted in a tertiary oncology hospital. The intervention included structured educational sessions, group discussion of failed handover scenarios, visual prompts, cue cards, posters, and email reminders. Participants completed the Handover Evaluation Scale and the Knowledge and Attitudes toward SBAR Questionnaire before and after the intervention. The primary paired analysis included 39 participants who completed both assessments.
Results
Among the 39 participants included in the paired analysis, 59% were female and 41% were male. Most participants were nurses (84.6%) and held bachelor’s degrees (84.6%). Postintervention findings showed significant improvements in the quality of information shared during handover, with mean scores increasing from 5.09 to 5.63 (p = .001), and in interaction and support, which increased from 5.18 to 5.70 (p = .008). Participants’ knowledge and attitudes toward ISBAR also improved after the intervention, with knowledge scores rising from 4.17 to 4.54 (p = .001), and attitudes from 3.79 to 4.28 (p = .001). Although the efficiency subscale of the Handover Evaluation Scale showed a slight increase from 4.93 to 5.00, this change was not significant (p = .685).
Conclusion
The findings suggest that implementing ISBAR can lead to meaningful improvements in handover communication, particularly in the quality of information exchange and team interaction.