P122: Ready for the story? A mixed methods systematic review of factors that influence handovers between prehospital personnel and emergency department nurses receiving patients arriving by ambulance

Abstract

Introduction: Safe and efficient handovers between emergency medical services (EMS) practitioners and emergency nurses are vital as poor transitions may lead to loss of information and place patients at risk for adverse events. We conducted a mixed methods systematic review to a) examine factors that disrupt or improve handovers from EMS practitioners to emergency department nurses, and b) investigate the effectiveness of interventional strategies that lead to improvements in communication and fewer adverse events. Methods: We searched electronic databases (DARE, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, Joanna Briggs Institute EBP; Communication Abstracts); grey literature (grey literature databases, organization websites, querying experts in emergency medicine); and reference lists of the included studies. Citation tracking was conducted for the included studies. Two reviewers independently screened titles/abstracts and full-texts for inclusion and methodological quality using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for quantitative studies and the Joanna Briggs Institute Critic Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research. Narrative and thematic synthesis were conducted to integrate and explore relationships within the data. Results: Twenty-two studies were included in this review from the 6150 records initially retrieved. Our analysis suggests that qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research approaches have been utilized to explore handovers. Studies (n=11) have predominantly explored existing patterns of handovers focusing on barriers and facilitators. Interventions (e.g. multimedia transmission of pre-hospital information, tailored e-learning program) were investigated in five studies. Results suggest that lack of formal handover training, workflow interruptions, workload, and strained working relationships between EMS and nursing are perceived threats to optimal handovers. Conclusion: The findings from this review can inform the development of handover interventions and contribute to a more rigorous approach to researching handovers between EMS practitioners and emergency nurses. Furthermore, there is a need for studies in which specific interventions to optimize handovers are examined.