Improving communication of patient issues on transfer out of intensive care.

ABSTRACT: The written medical handover document is frequently poor in quality and highly variable which raises concerns about patient safety. Intensive care unit (ICU) patients have complex medical and social issues which increases the risk of errors during ongoing hospital treatment. Our project team of four doctors and two nurses aimed to improve the documentation of patient problems as they leave the ICU. A literature review and process mapping of both medical and nursing transfer documentation helped in understanding the current process. Current problems (CP) were defined as any patient issues which require ongoing thought, management or follow-up. Our progress was tracked using a measure of the number of CPs listed in the free-text field titled 'Current Problems' in 50 medical transfer document

SUBMITTER: Roberts JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6203008 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature