Other Titles
Dissemination of an Evidence-based Handoff in an Inpatient Gastroenterology Department [Poster Title]
Abstract
The primary purpose of this project was to utilize a standardized evidence-based handoff using a modified I-PASS handoff for the gastroenterology department in an inpatient setting. The implementation of an evidence-based standardized handoff into a clinical practice is crucial to the success of patient care. According to the Joint Commission, errors in handoff communication are one of the leading factors of sentinel events (Humphrey et al., 2022). Omission of pertinent patient information during hospital handoff communication accounts for almost 30% of medical malpractice errors and lawsuits (Humphrey et al., 2022). Handoff communication can be described as the action of conveying essential information, written or verbal communication, pertinent to the continuity of care (Desmedt et al., 2021). In a study conducted by Humphrey et al., 40% of malpractice cases were a result of inefficient handoffs in patient care. More than 70% of these cases could have been prevented with a standardized handoff tool (Humphrey et al). Effective handoff communication is vital to patient safety.
In the 2018 Patient Safety Culture Survey, 51% of inpatient nurses found the use of a handoff tool to be effective (Blazin et al., 2020). The significance of implementing this project in an inpatient gastroenterology department was to improve face to face handoff communication between nurse practitioners and physicians. A previous study conducted at community-based New York Methodist Hospital in a pediatric inpatient setting focused on effectively utilizing a standardized handoff between residents and physicians (Walia et al., 2016).
The inpatient gastroenterology department at a 641-bed hospital did not have a standardized evidence-based handoff between the nurse practitioners and attending physicians; nor has there ever been a standardized handoff put in place in the department. Given the lack of a standardizing handoff procedure, pertinent patient information was often missed resulting in delays/cancelations in procedures. Due to the complexity of many gastroenterology patients, a practical standardized handoff had to be flexible, accommodating, and user-friendly for daily usage (Müller et al., 2018). For these reasons, the I-PASS handoff was chosen as the evidence-based handoff of choice. Given that many of the nurse practitioners had been with this clinical group less than a year, the timing was excellent to introduce and improved handoff practice.
Notes
References:
Blazin, L. J., Sitthi-Amorn, J., Hoffman, J. M., & Burlison, J. D. (2020). Improving Patient Handoffs and Transitions through Adaptation and Implementation of I-PASS Across Multiple Handoff Settings. Pediatric Quality & Safety, 5(4), e323. https://doi.org/10.1097/pq9.0000000000000323
Desmedt, M., Ulenaers, D., Grosemans, J., Hellings, J., & Bergs, J. (2021). Clinical handover and handoff in healthcare: a systematic review of systematic reviews. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzaa170
Humphrey, K. E., Sundberg, M., Milliren, C. E., Graham, D. A., & Landrigan, C. P. (2022). Frequency and Nature of Communication and Handoff Failures in Medical Malpractice Claims. Journal of Patient Safety, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.1097/PTS.0000000000000937
Müller, M., Jürgens, J., Redaèlli, M., Klingberg, K., Hautz, W. E., & Stock, S. (2018). Impact of the communication and patient hand-off tool SBAR on patient safety: a systematic review. BMJ Open, 8(8), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022202
Walia, J., Qayumi, Z., Khawar, N., Dygulska, B., Bialik, I., Salafia, C., & Narula, P. (2016). Physician Transition of Care: Benefits of I-PASS and an Electronic Handoff System in a Community Pediatric Residency Program. Academic Pediatrics, 16(6), 519–523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2016.04.001
Sigma Membership
Beta Epsilon
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Interprofessional, Interdisciplinary, Workforce, Acute Care, Gastroenterology, Handoff
Recommended Citation
Thornton, Whitney, "Reflecting on the Implementation of the I-PASS Handoff in an Inpatient Gastroenterology Department" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 1.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/posters_2025/1
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-17
Reflecting on the Implementation of the I-PASS Handoff in an Inpatient Gastroenterology Department
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
The primary purpose of this project was to utilize a standardized evidence-based handoff using a modified I-PASS handoff for the gastroenterology department in an inpatient setting. The implementation of an evidence-based standardized handoff into a clinical practice is crucial to the success of patient care. According to the Joint Commission, errors in handoff communication are one of the leading factors of sentinel events (Humphrey et al., 2022). Omission of pertinent patient information during hospital handoff communication accounts for almost 30% of medical malpractice errors and lawsuits (Humphrey et al., 2022). Handoff communication can be described as the action of conveying essential information, written or verbal communication, pertinent to the continuity of care (Desmedt et al., 2021). In a study conducted by Humphrey et al., 40% of malpractice cases were a result of inefficient handoffs in patient care. More than 70% of these cases could have been prevented with a standardized handoff tool (Humphrey et al). Effective handoff communication is vital to patient safety.
In the 2018 Patient Safety Culture Survey, 51% of inpatient nurses found the use of a handoff tool to be effective (Blazin et al., 2020). The significance of implementing this project in an inpatient gastroenterology department was to improve face to face handoff communication between nurse practitioners and physicians. A previous study conducted at community-based New York Methodist Hospital in a pediatric inpatient setting focused on effectively utilizing a standardized handoff between residents and physicians (Walia et al., 2016).
The inpatient gastroenterology department at a 641-bed hospital did not have a standardized evidence-based handoff between the nurse practitioners and attending physicians; nor has there ever been a standardized handoff put in place in the department. Given the lack of a standardizing handoff procedure, pertinent patient information was often missed resulting in delays/cancelations in procedures. Due to the complexity of many gastroenterology patients, a practical standardized handoff had to be flexible, accommodating, and user-friendly for daily usage (Müller et al., 2018). For these reasons, the I-PASS handoff was chosen as the evidence-based handoff of choice. Given that many of the nurse practitioners had been with this clinical group less than a year, the timing was excellent to introduce and improved handoff practice.
Description
Utilization of handoff in an inpatient gastroenterology department is crucial to patient care.The primary purpose of this project was to utilize a standardized evidence-based handoff using a modified I-PASS handoff for the gastroenterology department in an inpatient setting. Handoffs have proven to be effective in decreasing misinformation and relaying pertinent data. The most important aspect for this project was the need to reduce inpatient gastroenterology procedure cancellations/delays.