Handoff Tool Improves Transitions from the Operating Room to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Introduction: Standardized handoffs reduce medical errors and prevent adverse events or near misses. This article describes a quality improvement initiative implementing a unique standardized handoff tool and process to transition from the operating room to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a level-four regional center with many inpatients requiring surgical intervention. Before this project, there was no standardized handoff tool or process for postsurgical transitions.