Journal of Nursing & Care

CHAT Communication Guide: Transitions between Patient Care Areas and Diagnostic Units

Abstract

Margaret Susanne Grylls, Nida Ahmed, Kendi Yuan, Jessyca Liang and Darren Shen

Background: Many baccalaureate nursing programs in Ontario, including X, ask their consolidating students to address a persistent clinical issue with a corresponding quality improvement solution. Nursing leadership often manifests as a unique combination of advocacy skills and abiding professional commitment. To succumb to complacency in a workplace where client safety is constantly vulnerable is neither a viable or caring option.
Methods: The CHAT Communication Guide was developed as a change initiative targeting transitions in care between care-provider units and diagnostic or procedural departments. This tool is to be used by both the sending and returning health care provider to communicate critical patient information regarding current situation, history, assessment, and treatment.
Results: The goal of this implement is to improve patient safety, promote patient-centered care, and provide a standardized tool accessible to all health care team members.
Conclusion: Clinical innovation represents a professional obligation where transitions in care are a priority concern.