Investigating the impact of implementing structured patient handover through the SBAR model on clinical errors of nurses in the emergency department

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Correct patient handover by nurses is important. Failure to follow a standard procedure results clinical errors. This study aimed to determine the effect of structured patient handover based on the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation) model on the incidence of clinical errors by nurses in the emergency department (ED). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A quasiexperimental, single-group, before–after study was conducted in an ED in Ayatollah Kashni hospital (Isfahan, Iran). For 3 months, errors were collected by checklist. Then the SBAR model was taught to nurses to use it during handover. Postintervention errors were collected using the checklist and subsequently analyzed. RESULTS: The total number of errors decreased from 102 to 25 after the intervention (P < 0.0001; 95% CI). The intervention significantly reduced laboratory, care, and handover errors (P < 0.0001; 95% CI). The frequency of clinical errors was statistically associated with shift and error severity (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Using the SBAR handover model significantly reduced clinical errors in the ED. Then, it is recommended that this standard method be used during patient handover to improve safety in EDs.