Patient Safety: Who Guards the Patient?
February 11, 2019
Response by Jana Messer to “Moving Shift Report to the Bedside: An Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Project” by Edward R. McAllen and colleagues (April 9, 2018)
Dear Editor:
I am writing in reference to the article, “Moving Shift Report to the Bedside: An Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Project” by (McAllen, Stephens, Swanson-Biearman, Kerr, & Whiteman, 2018). It is important that shift report is performed at the bedside. Shift report at the bedside not only creates a good rapport between the patient and nurse but also allows patients to be involved in their plan of care (POC). My purpose for writing this letter is to elaborate and provide support about the positive outcomes associated with doing shift report at the bedside as well as enhance knowledge about how proactive nurses promote buy-in.
To increase knowledge of the benefits of bedside shift report, studies have been performed to provide evidence to support this way of reporting. Labriole and colleagues (Labriole, MacAulay, Williams, Bunting, & Pettorini-D’Amico, 2018) elaborated on a study performed on a 10-bed unit using bedside shift report. The authors revealed how bedside shift report promoted patient involvement and allowed the on-coming nurse to check the surroundings in the room and any safety issues. This visual performed during bedside shift report allowed for an increase in patient-nurse satisfaction and accountability.
One set back that may occur with implementing bedside shift report is the lack of buy-in. Dorvil (2018) explained a method to get nurses to buy in and sustain using bedside shift report, based on Everett Rodger’s five-step approach to the adoption of innovations: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. “The innovation-decision process is the process through which an individual (or other decision-making units) passes from first knowledge of an innovation to forming an attitude toward the innovation, to a decision to adopt or reject, to implementation of the new idea, and to confirmation of this decision” (Rodgers, 1983, p. 20). This five-step approach allowed the nurse to be involved and make decisions in the creation of standard work for bedside shift report that would be implemented in the workplace. This approach can ensure that the nurse is adhering to the bedside shift report standard work while holding others accountable and can create buy-in.
In conclusion, research has shown that nurse participation in beside shift report enhanced positive outcomes and showed how important bedside shift report can be. Currently, bedside shift reporting is performed at many facilities, but I feel that this more detailed and structured way of reporting can benefit all facilities. The cited research supports the positive outcomes associated with bedside shift report, and hopefully, my comments add enhanced knowledge about how proactive nurses promote buy-in.
Sincerely,
Jana Messer, RN
References
Dorvil, B. (2018). The secrets to successful nurse bedside shift report implantation and sustainability. Nursing Management, 49(6), 20-25. Doi:10.1097/01.NUMA.0000533770. 12758.44
Labriole, J., MacAulay, C., Williams, K., Bunting D., & Pettorini-D’Amico, S. (2018). Implementing bedside shift report: Walking the walk and talking the talk. Nursing 2018, 48(3), 1-4. DOI:10.1097/01.NURSE.0000529809.90912.30
McAllen, E.R., Stephens, K., Swanson-Biearman, B., Kerr, K., & Whiteman, K (2018). Moving shift report to the bedside: An evidence-based quality improvement project. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(2). Available: http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-23-2018/No2-May-2018/Articles-Previous-Topics/Moving-Shift-Report-to-the-Bedside.html
Rodgers, E.M. (1983). Diffusion of Innovations. (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Free Press. Retrieved from: https://teddykw2.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/everett-m-rogers-diffusion-of-innovations.pdf
