The satisfaction regarding handovers between ambulance and emergency department nurses: an observational study.

Background: A thorough handover in the emergency department (ED) is of great importance for improving the quality and safety in the chain of care. The satisfaction of handover may reflect the quality of handover. Research to discover the variables influencing the satisfaction of handovers is scarce. The goal of this study was to determine the factors influencing the satisfaction regarding handovers from ambulance and ED nurses.

Methods: We performed a prospective observational study in the University Medical Center of Groningen. Data regarding prehospital-hospital handovers has been collected by observing handovers and assessing patient chart information. Data regarding the satisfaction has been collected with a questionnaire including a 5-point scale for the level of satisfaction.

Results: In total, 97 handovers were observed and 97 ambulance nurses and 89 ED nurses completed the questionnaire. The satisfaction of ambulance nurses showed a negative correlation with the waiting time prior to handover (r = -.287, p = .004) and a positive correlation with the presence of a physician in the receiving team (r = .224, p = .028). The satisfaction of ED nurses showed a positive correlation with the use of the ABCDE (r = .288, p = .006) and AMPLE instrument (r = .208, p = .050).

Conclusion: The satisfaction of ambulance and ED nurses as sender or receiver of the handover is determined by different factors. The satisfaction of ambulance nurses is mainly affected by the waiting time and presence of a physician, while the satisfaction of ED nurses is affected by the use of handover instruments and the completeness of medical information.