Applying a Time-Out and Standardized Report Form in Anesthesia Handoffs

Conclusion

The overall impact of the project has been to further promote a culture of patient safety at the Memphis VAMC and establish continuity of care as an institutional priority. The existing handoff sheet, time-out, and cross-check have been adapted to all hospital-wide transfers. With the SPHOC guidance and expertise, PACU began using a handoff sheet and time-out when transferring patients to the medical/surgical floors. The handoff sheet has also been adapted to fit the needs of transfers from the emergency department to the medical/surgical floors.

The framework of a standardized handoff is adaptable for other units to customize and has been adopted hospital-wide. The project is sustainable as it requires almost no money to create and sustain. The primary weakness of the process is the requirement of sustained staff participation and buy-in. Each unit and hospital invariably comes with a different culture and priorities; therefore, the process developed at Memphis VAMC may not meet the needs of other facilities. ˜

Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Susan Baldwin, RN; Bianca Mathews, MSN, RN; Wendy Regel, RN; Armance White, CRNA; Reginald Witt, MD; Odie Powell, RN; Alma Farris, RN; Clarisa Reed, RN; Susan Baily, RN; Linda Sueing, RN; Teresa Nguyen, RN; and John Craig, DNP, CRNA.