Nursing perspectives on the role of nursing ‘end of shift’ verbal handover

4^th International Conference on Nursing & Healthcare

October 05-07, 2015 San Francisco, USA

Antoinette David

RMIT University, Australia

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

The intrinsic nature of nursing necessitates continuity of care, a concept enabled informally through verbal handover. Nurses ritualistically practice verbal handover to provide focus and direction for the oncoming nurse. The following research will report on phase 1 of a 2-phase study examining the nurse�s perspective of verbal handover. Phase-1 of the research was undertaken using Grounded Theory Methodology, a qualitative study design that is philosophically underpinned by symbolic interactionism. The study aimed to identify the role of verbal handover in the provision of nursing care from the perspective of the nurse. The participants were 41 Registered Nurses from acute care surgical and medical backgrounds in a metropolitan hospital in Melbourne Australia. Purposive sampling was utilized and data was collected using intensive interviewing techniques in 6 focus groups with approximately 7 members each. The data was then coded and analyzed concurrently allowing the categorization of core concepts. The research finding indicated that communication was the underlying core-concept with linked themes such as relevance of information, duty of care, professional roles of nursing, timelines, scope of practice and modes of handover also influencing handover practices. These themes then led to the development of the following theory: Nurses feel the need to be prepared in order to know and care for their patients which in turn identifies the role of �end of shift verbal handover. This information will further serve as the foundation for Phase-2 of a Mixed Method study to quantitatively generalize the findings and to identify what information nurses require for them to care for patients. It will also provide an opportunity to review communication in verbal handover from clinician�s perspective.

Biography :

Antoinette David is currently pursuing PhD from RMIT University, Melbourne. With a keen passion for neuroscience nursing, she began her nursing career in the Neurosurgery and Neurotrauma ward at The Alfred Hospital, a major teaching hospital in Australia. For the last 6 years, she has been the Clinical Support and Development Nurse on the ward with a focus on monitoring, reviewing and upholding high standards of nursing clinical practices. Her clinical supervisors, Dr Mervyn Jackson, Dr Heather Pisani and Professor Eleanor Holroyd have inspired her to pursue her current educational path.

Email: a.david@alfred.org.au