The postoperative handover : a focus group interview study with nurse anaesthetists, anaesthesiologists, and PACU nurses

• OBJECTIVES To investigate different professionals’ (nurse anaesthetists’, anaesthesiologists’, and postanaesthesia care unit nurses’) descriptions of and reflections on the postoperative handover.DESIGN A focus group interview study with a descriptive design using qualitative content analysis of transcripts.SETTING One anaesthetic clinic at two hospitals in Sweden.PARTICIPANTS Six focus groups with 23 healthcare professionals involved in postoperative handovers. Each group was homogeneous regarding participant profession, resulting in two groups per profession: nurse anaesthetists (n=8), anaesthesiologists (n=7) and postanaesthesia care unit nurses (n=8).RESULTS Patterns and five categories emerged: 1) Having different temporal foci during handover, 2) Insecurity when information is transferred from one team to another, 3) Striving to ensure quality of the handover, 4) Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the bedside handover, and 5) Having different perspectives on the transfer of responsibility. The professionals’ perceptions of the postoperative handover differed with regard to temporal foci and transfer of responsibility. All professional groups were insecure about having all information needed to ensure the quality of care. They strived to ensure quality of the handover by: focusing on matters that deviated from the normal course of events, aiding memory through structure and written information, and cooperating within and between teams. They reported that the bedside handover enhances their control of the patient, but also that it could threaten the patient’s privacy and that frequent interruptions could be disturbing.CONCLUSIONS The present findings revealed variations in different professionals’ views on the postoperative handover. Healthcare interventions are needed to minimize the gap between professionals’ perceptions and practices and to achieve a shared understanding of postoperative handover. Furthermore, to ensure high-quality and safe care, stakeholders/decision-makers need to pay attention to the environment and infrastructure in postanaesthesia care.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Anaesthetic clinic

Handover

Postoperative

Qualitative study

Health-Promoting Work

Hälsofrämjande arbete

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)