Contemporary nursing care takes place in complex settings, characterized by high workloads, complex shift patterns, and multidisciplinary patient management. In this context, nursing handover plays a strategic role, as it represents a structured process of transferring information, responsibility, and authority between healthcare professionals, aimed at ensuring continuity of care, clinical safety, and quality of care. Its effectiveness is crucial for managing complex patients, preventing errors, coordinating teams, and ensuring professional satisfaction. The literature highlights the importance of standardizing handover through templates, checklists, and digital tools, promoting clear communication, reducing clinical risk, and a culture of patient-centered safety. MATERIALS AND METHODS This paper involved a qualitative narrative review of the literature, aimed at descriptively and critically exploring the topic. The search was organized according to the Investigation and Coordination Protocol for Information Organization (PICOM), which optimized the querying of biomedical databases and the identification of relevant scientific sources. RESULTS In this narrative literature review, the PRISMA flowchart was used to select and summarize studies on nursing handover. After an initial search yielded 583 articles, and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 83 studies were selected of which 17 were included after critical analysis. The analysis of the scientific literature between 2015 and 2025 revealed four main thematic threads. The quality of nursing handovers is closely related to patient safety, as ineffective communication increases the risk of errors and interruptions in care. The adoption of standardized models, such as SBAR, has improved the clarity and reliability of information, although training and consistency in their application are crucial. Handovers also have a strong relational component, contributing to team well-being and professional satisfaction. Finally, organizational factors, such as environment and time constraints, influence the effectiveness of handovers, with best practices identified as dedicated spaces, adequate time, and the use of structured tools. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION The review findings confirm that nursing handovers are essential for ensuring patient safety, continuity of care and organizational efficiency. Structuring the communication process reduces clinical errors and improves the perception of effectiveness among professionals. Handovers represent a technical and relational moment, contributing to accountability, team cohesion and organizational culture. The use of standardized tools such as SBAR, I-PASS, 5P, REED, and PVITAL promotes clarity, conciseness, and uniformity of language, with clear benefits across different contexts. However, the effectiveness of these models depends on the clinical context, staff training, and the integration of the technical and relational dimensions. SBAR is versatile and easy to apply, I-PASS is suitable for complex and multidisciplinary settings, 5P and REED offer rapid or in-depth critical analysis, while PVITAL integrates clinical, care, and educational aspects but requires greater experience and time. The choice of tool must therefore be tailored to the characteristics of the department, the patients, and organizational objectives, rather than following absolute standardization. KEYWORDS "nursing handovers," "handover," "healthcare communication," "patient safety," "handover," "nursing handover," "clinical handoff," "nursing shift report," "patient safety."
L’assistenza infermieristica contemporanea si svolge in contesti complessi, caratterizzati da elevati carichi di lavoro, turnazioni articolate e gestione multidisciplinare dei pazienti. In questo scenario, l’handover infermieristico riveste un ruolo strategico, poiché rappresenta un processo strutturato di trasferimento di informazioni, responsabilità e autorità tra operatori sanitari, finalizzato a garantire continuità assistenziale, sicurezza clinica e qualità dell’assistenza. La sua efficacia è cruciale per la gestione di pazienti complessi, la prevenzione di errori, il coordinamento dei team e la soddisfazione professionale. MATERIALI E METODI E' stata condotta una revisione narrativa della letteratura, di tipo qualitativo, volta a esplorare in modo descrittivo e critico l’argomento. La ricerca è stata organizzata seguendo il Protocollo di Indagine e Coordinamento per l’Organizzazione delle Informazioni (PICOM), che ha consentito un’ottimizzazione dell’interrogazione delle banche dati biomediche e l’individuazione di fonti scientifiche pertinenti. RISULTATI E' stato utilizzato il diagramma di flusso PRISMA per selezionare e schematizzare gli studi sul passaggio di consegne infermieristiche. Dopo una ricerca iniziale che ha prodotto 583 articoli, e applicando i criteri di inclusione e esclusione, sono stati selezionati 83 studi, dei quali 17 sono stati inclusi dopo un'analisi critica. Dall'analisi della letteratura scientifica tra il 2015 e il 2025 sono emersi quattro principali filoni tematici. La qualità delle consegne infermieristiche è strettamente correlata alla sicurezza del paziente, poiché una comunicazione inefficace aumenta il rischio di errori e interruzioni nelle cure. L’adozione di modelli standardizzati, come SBAR, ha migliorato la chiarezza e la sicurezza delle informazioni, sebbene la formazione e la costanza nell’applicazione siano cruciali. Le consegne hanno anche una forte componente relazionale, contribuendo al benessere del team e alla soddisfazione professionale. Infine, fattori organizzativi, come l’ambiente e la mancanza di tempo, influenzano l’efficacia delle consegne, con migliori pratiche identificate in spazi dedicati, tempi adeguati e l’uso di strumenti strutturati. ANALISI E DISCUSSIONE I risultati della revisione confermano che le consegne infermieristiche sono fondamentali per garantire sicurezza del paziente, continuità assistenziale e efficienza organizzativa. La strutturazione del processo comunicativo riduce gli errori clinici e migliora la percezione di efficacia tra i professionisti. Le consegne rappresentano un momento tecnico e relazionale, contribuendo alla responsabilizzazione, alla coesione del team e alla cultura organizzativa. L’uso di strumenti standardizzati come SBAR, I-PASS, 5P, REED e PVITAL favorisce chiarezza, sintesi e uniformità del linguaggio, con benefici evidenti in contesti differenti. Tuttavia, l’efficacia dei modelli dipende dal contesto clinico, dalla formazione del personale e dall’integrazione tra dimensione tecnica e relazionale. SBAR risulta versatile e semplice da applicare, I-PASS è indicato per contesti complessi e multidisciplinari, 5P e REED offrono rapidità o approfondimento critico, mentre PVITAL integra aspetti clinici, assistenziali ed educativi ma richiede maggiore esperienza e tempo. La scelta dello strumento deve quindi adattarsi alle caratteristiche del reparto, ai pazienti e agli obiettivi organizzativi, piuttosto che seguire una standardizzazione assoluta. PAROLE CHIAVE “consegne infermieristiche”, “passaggio di consegne”, “comunicazione sanitaria”, “sicurezza del paziente”, “handover”, “nu
STANDARDIZZARE IL NURSING HANDOVER PER MIGLIORARE LA CONTINUITA' ASSISTENZIALE: REVISIONE DELLA LETTERATURA
RIGNANESE, SIMONE
2024/2025
Abstract
Contemporary nursing care takes place in complex settings, characterized by high workloads, complex shift patterns, and multidisciplinary patient management. In this context, nursing handover plays a strategic role, as it represents a structured process of transferring information, responsibility, and authority between healthcare professionals, aimed at ensuring continuity of care, clinical safety, and quality of care. Its effectiveness is crucial for managing complex patients, preventing errors, coordinating teams, and ensuring professional satisfaction. The literature highlights the importance of standardizing handover through templates, checklists, and digital tools, promoting clear communication, reducing clinical risk, and a culture of patient-centered safety. MATERIALS AND METHODS This paper involved a qualitative narrative review of the literature, aimed at descriptively and critically exploring the topic. The search was organized according to the Investigation and Coordination Protocol for Information Organization (PICOM), which optimized the querying of biomedical databases and the identification of relevant scientific sources. RESULTS In this narrative literature review, the PRISMA flowchart was used to select and summarize studies on nursing handover. After an initial search yielded 583 articles, and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 83 studies were selected of which 17 were included after critical analysis. The analysis of the scientific literature between 2015 and 2025 revealed four main thematic threads. The quality of nursing handovers is closely related to patient safety, as ineffective communication increases the risk of errors and interruptions in care. The adoption of standardized models, such as SBAR, has improved the clarity and reliability of information, although training and consistency in their application are crucial. Handovers also have a strong relational component, contributing to team well-being and professional satisfaction. Finally, organizational factors, such as environment and time constraints, influence the effectiveness of handovers, with best practices identified as dedicated spaces, adequate time, and the use of structured tools. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION The review findings confirm that nursing handovers are essential for ensuring patient safety, continuity of care and organizational efficiency. Structuring the communication process reduces clinical errors and improves the perception of effectiveness among professionals. Handovers represent a technical and relational moment, contributing to accountability, team cohesion and organizational culture. The use of standardized tools such as SBAR, I-PASS, 5P, REED, and PVITAL promotes clarity, conciseness, and uniformity of language, with clear benefits across different contexts. However, the effectiveness of these models depends on the clinical context, staff training, and the integration of the technical and relational dimensions. SBAR is versatile and easy to apply, I-PASS is suitable for complex and multidisciplinary settings, 5P and REED offer rapid or in-depth critical analysis, while PVITAL integrates clinical, care, and educational aspects but requires greater experience and time. The choice of tool must therefore be tailored to the characteristics of the department, the patients, and organizational objectives, rather than following absolute standardization. KEYWORDS "nursing handovers," "handover," "healthcare communication," "patient safety," "handover," "nursing handover," "clinical handoff," "nursing shift report," "patient safety."| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12075/26545