Vancouver Coastal Health: Shift-to-Shift Nurse Handoffs

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In Partnership with | Vancouver Coastal Health

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Project | A nurse handoff refers to any situation where information is being passed from one caregiver to another. It can be between individuals, teams, or departments, and can happen at different times throughout the day; that is, the situations and the people involved are varied. Unfortunately, during this time there is often a break down in communication and key information is lost, often at risk to the patient. Thus, Vancouver Coastal Health has asked us to design an innovative, timely, and efficient strategy for improving communication and ensuring that the appropriate information is handed over to the next shift in order to guarantee patient safety.

Approach | We propose that a mobile technological platform (such as an iPad) be introduced into the nurses’ care system to improve communication, reduce error in the handoff process, and enhance overall patient care. We have designed an interactive concept for an iPad app called Your Patient Circles that address these issues.
The project was a collaboration with two other peers, Bree Galbraith and Hanna Stefan.