Abstract
Introduction
The aim of this study was to implement a standardized, hospital-based bedside handoff
report (IPASS [Illness severity, Patient summary, Action items, Situational awareness,
and Synthesis]) in prehospital pediatric critical care transport to increase patient
safety by eliminating the risk of misreporting or omitting critical patient care information
received before arrival at a tertiary care center. The setting for this project was
a level 1 pediatric trauma center in the Southern United States.
Methods
Pre- and postsurveys were used to assess staff perception of clinical handoff comprehensiveness
and satisfaction with the use of a standardized IPASS handoff tool.
Results
Improvement was identified in 6 of 8 survey items. Team members were better able to
hear all the information provided in the handoff, the format was functional, and physical
transfers of patients from the transport team to the ED went more smoothly. Overall,
satisfaction of the handoff process increased by 80%.
Conclusion
Many factors contribute to patient safety events and errors in health care, with communication
failures contributing to the majority. Overall, findings support the use of standardized
IPASS handoffs in pediatric critical care transport to promote patient safety, increase
comprehension of patient information, and increase staff satisfaction.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 16, 2023
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of Air Medical Journal Associates.
