Audit of Nursing Handover in Emam Reza & Madani Hospitals in Tabriz by FOCUS PDCA Method

​ Background and objectives : The handover is transferring of patient care from one health care provider to another and depending on how it is done, it can be life saving or health threatening. The aim of this study was to audit the nursing handover in Emam Reza & Madani hospitals in Tabriz by FOCUS PDCA method. Material and Methods : This study is a clinical audit. Two hospitals which are Emam Reza and Madani, were selected by easy sampling method. The degree of compliance with the standards of nursing handover were examined at the 15 shifts in the 3 wards. The data collection tool was a self-made researcher checklist. The questionnaire validity was confirmed qualitatively using Delphi method by 10 experts and its reliability was confirmed based on Cronbach’s alpha index. Data were analyzed by Spss 11.5. Results : Nursing handover is done orally in these hospitals. Before the intervention, the average percentage of compliance with handover standards was %29/3 and the time spent for the delivery was 12 minutes. After the intervention in ENT ward (the selected field for intervention), these values increased from %22 and 12 minutes to %63 and19 minutes. Conclusion : The handover process in the hospitals studied does not follow a specific standard. Training nurses on how to handover shifts, can improve the process.