NURS FPX 4035 Assessment 1

NURS FPX 4035 Assessment 1 Enhancing Quality and Safety

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Capella University

NURS-FPX4035 Enhancing Patient Safety and Quality of Care

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Enhancing Quality and Safety

Effective patient handovers in hospital emergency departments (EDs) are essential for maintaining high standards in healthcare quality and safety. These transitions are particularly vulnerable to errors due to time constraints, high patient volume, and the complexity of emergency cases. When communication is flawed or inconsistent during handoffs, there is a greater risk of treatment delays, incorrect interventions, and adverse patient outcomes. The urgency and unpredictability of the emergency setting further amplify the importance of standardized and efficient communication protocols. This section explores the consequences of ineffective patient handoffs and examines evidence-based strategies for improving the safety and quality of care transitions. Special emphasis is placed on the critical role of nurses and the collaborative involvement of various stakeholders in enhancing healthcare outcomes and operational efficiency.

Poor communication practices during emergency handovers pose a serious threat to patient safety. Studies indicate that approximately 80% of severe medical errors in EDs are linked to communication failures during transitions of care (Kinney-Sandefur, 2024). The combination of hurried interactions, incomplete documentation, and failure to follow standardized protocols often results in missing or inaccurate patient information. Moreover, verbal-only communication without adequate backup in written or electronic formats further contributes to these vulnerabilities. Such inefficiencies can directly impact the quality of care, leading to extended hospital stays, increased risk of complications, and higher healthcare costs.

Time-sensitive care in emergency settings further exacerbates these communication challenges. Emergency clinicians must act swiftly and decisively, often with limited background information. According to Atinga et al. (2024), up to 70% of patient care outcomes and 50% of handoff-related incidents are influenced by the quality of communication during transitions. The absence of formal handoff procedures contributes to fragmented treatment and missed opportunities for timely interventions. As a result, suboptimal handovers increase the likelihood of preventable errors, compromising both patient safety and institutional performance.

Factors Leading to Patient Safety Risk

A range of evidence-based solutions has been proposed to reduce the risks associated with poor handovers in emergency departments. One of the most prominent is the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) communication framework. SBAR provides a standardized, structured approach to conveying critical information, minimizing confusion, and enhancing team coordination. Research shows that SBAR improves healthcare provider satisfaction, handoff efficiency, and overall patient safety (Ghosh et al., 2021). It also supports financial sustainability by improving documentation accuracy and minimizing unnecessary treatments.

Another crucial advancement in communication is the integration of electronic health records (EHRs) with specialized handoff templates. EHRs allow for real-time, consistent access to up-to-date patient data, reducing the reliance on memory or handwritten notes (Tataei et al., 2023). By using these digital tools, staff can communicate with more accuracy and efficiency. Additionally, the practice of conducting bedside shift reports enhances patient and family engagement, leading to increased transparency and higher patient satisfaction. These practices not only reduce the incidence of adverse events but also contribute to shorter hospital stays and lower litigation risks.

Nurses serve as the cornerstone of patient handovers. Their role involves verifying, clarifying, and documenting patient information to ensure continuity of care. Through active participation in interdisciplinary rounds, nurses collaborate with physicians, pharmacists, and other team members to develop comprehensive care plans. Shirley et al. (2024) highlight how nurse involvement in structured handovers prevents communication lapses and strengthens care coordination. Nurses also play a pivotal role in reinforcing closed-loop communication—where the receiving provider confirms the information relayed—thereby reducing the risk of clinical errors and promoting cost-effective care.

Stakeholders’ Involvement in Nursing Coordination

Effective patient handoffs rely on coordinated input from a wide range of stakeholders in the healthcare system. Physicians depend on timely, accurate handoff information to guide clinical decisions, making nurse-physician collaboration essential. Miscommunication between these professionals can lead to delays in care, adverse outcomes, and increased operational costs (Jemal et al., 2021). Pharmacists also play a vital role by verifying medication lists during transitions. Their coordination with nursing staff is critical for preventing prescription errors, which represent a significant portion of avoidable healthcare expenditures.

Hospital administrators are equally integral to supporting safe handovers. They are responsible for implementing standardized protocols, maintaining technological infrastructure, and delivering comprehensive staff training programs. Their involvement empowers frontline staff with the necessary tools and systems to conduct reliable transitions. Quality improvement teams and patient safety officers help to identify patterns in handoff errors and refine institutional practices in alignment with best-practice guidelines. According to Bucknall et al. (2020), involving patients and families in bedside handoffs promotes better understanding, enhances trust, and significantly lowers the likelihood of readmissions.

In summary, nurses act as key facilitators in this intricate system by bridging communication among all stakeholders involved in the patient care continuum. Their coordination ensures that patient safety remains at the forefront, and healthcare delivery becomes more reliable and cost-effective.

Summary Table of Key Insights

References

Atinga, R. A., Gmaligan, M. N., Ayawine, A., & Yambah, J. K. (2024). “It’s the patient that suffers from poor communication”: Analysing communication gaps and associated consequences in handover events from nurses’ experiences. SSM – Qualitative Research in Health, 6, 100482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmqr.2024.100482

Bucknall, T. K., Hutchinson, A. M., Botti, M., McTier, L., Rawson, H., Hitch, D., Hewitt, N., Digby, R., Fossum, M., McMurray, A., Marshall, A. P., Gillespie, B. M., & Chaboyer, W. (2020). Engaging patients and families in communication across transitions of care: An integrative review. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(6), 1104–1117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.01.017

NURS FPX 4035 Assessment 1 Enhancing Quality and Safety

Ghosh, S., Ramamoorthy, L., & Pottakat, B. (2021). Impact of structured clinical handover protocol on communication and patient satisfaction. Journal of Patient Experience, 8(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1177/2374373521997733

Jemal, M., Kure, M. A., Gobena, T., & Geda, B. (2021). Nurse–physician communication in patient care and associated factors in public hospitals of Harari regional state and Dire-Dawa city administration, Eastern Ethiopia: A multicenter-mixed methods study. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 14(1), 2315–2331. https://doi.org/10.2147/jmdh.s320721

Kinney-Sandefur, A. V. (2024). Improving patient handoff in the emergency department microsystem. University of New Hampshire Scholars’ Repository. https://scholars.unh.edu/thesis/1799

Shirley, S. G. A., Abdullah, B. F., & Dioso, R. I. (2024). Enhancing teamwork through effective handover practices among nurses in elder care setting. The Malaysian Journal of Nursing, 15(04), 100–108. https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2024.v15i04.0012

NURS FPX 4035 Assessment 1 Enhancing Quality and Safety

Tataei, A., Rahimi, B., Afshar, H. L., Alinejad, V., Jafarizadeh, H., & Parizad, N. (2023). The effects of electronic nursing handover on patient safety in general (non-covid-19) and COVID-19 intensive care units: A quasi-experimental study. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09502-8