Abstract
Patient information transfer, also referred to as handover, is the interactive process of transferring a specific patient’s information, together with professional responsibility and accountability, to healthcare professionals, either permanently or temporarily, for the purpose of continuity of quality patient care and safety. Transfer of patient care information to the post-operative care units (PACU) tends to be challenging for both the patient information provider and the receiver, which puts patients’ safety at risk. The continuity of quality patient care and safety is fully dependent on effective patient information transfer.
The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the lived experiences of professional nurses’ regarding patient information transfer from a private hospital’s operating theatres to its surgical wards, in order to develop recommendations to improve patient information transfer. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was used. A purposive sample of professional nurses who met the research inclusion criteria and were willing to participate in the study was utilised. Data was collected by means of in-depth, phenomenological, individual interviews that were audio recorded with permission from the participants, to ensure verbatim data transcription. Data analysis was done using Giorgi’s four steps of descriptive phenomenological data analysis framework.
Strategies of trustworthiness to ensure the study’s credibility and ethical principles to protect the participants’ rights were applied throughout. Findings revealed that participants experienced challenges in communication practices as well as challenges regarding clinical handover during patient information transfer. Recommendations are made to improve the patient information transfer by focussing on improving communication practices, and clinical handover practices. The study will benefit the hospital, patients, and nurses who will understand PIT. The evaluation of the study, limitations, and recommendations for nursing practice and policy, nursing education, future research, conclusion, and reflections are provided.
M.Cur.