Brief Educational Intervention Improves Content of Intern Handovers

Abstract Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires residency programs to ensure safe patient handovers and to document resident competency in handover communication, yet there are few evidence-based curricula teaching resident handover skills. Objective We assessed the immediate and sustained impact of a brief educational intervention on pediatrics intern handover skills. Methods Interns at a freestanding children's hospital participated in an intervention that included a 1-hour educational workshop on components of high-quality handovers, as well as implementation of a standardized handover format. The format, SAFETIPS, includes patient information, current diagnosis and assessment, patient acuity, a focused plan, a baseline exam, a to-do list, anticipatory guidance, and potential pointers and pitfalls. Important communication behaviors, such as paraphrasing key information, were addressed. Quality of intern handovers was evaluated using a simulated encounter 2 weeks be...