Communication Audit in an Intensive Care Unit of a Government Teaching Hospital

Dr Sania Shahbaz Hasnain; Dr Sameer Mehrotra; Dr R K Ranyal; Dr Sunil Basukala

Volume : IV, Issue : IV, April - 2015

Communication Audit in an Intensive Care Unit of a Government Teaching Hospital

Dr Sania Shahbaz Hasnain, Dr Sameer Mehrotra, Dr R K Ranyal, Dr Sunil Basukala

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;Background: Safe patient handovers require that accurate, reliable and relevant information is unambiguously&nbsp;</p> <div>communicated between healthcare providers</div> <div>Aim &amp; objectives: To carry out communication audit during patient hand overs in an intensive care area of a tertiary care teaching hospital.</div> <div>Study design and methods: An observational, cross&ndash;sectional and descriptive study in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a Tertiary Care Hospital&nbsp;</div> <div>which includes both medical and surgical beds conducted over a period of 4 months.</div> <div>Results: Multiple shift change, high patient turn over, adverse staffing ratio and the lack of regular training practices were the root causes&nbsp;</div> <div>identified as barriers to successful communication.</div> <div>Conclusion: Multidisciplinary strategies involving physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals with a special focus on communication&nbsp;</div> <div>and education should be targeted.</div>