Effective Handoff Communication in Nursing Begins in Nursing School

Handoff communication is essential to ensuring continuity of care among providers. Failures in communication can lead to delay in care or patient harm. Proper handoff communication is an essential skill that should be taught in pre-licensure nursing education as part of preparation for post- graduate practice. The purpose of this project is to identify techniques to improve the handoff communications skills necessary to ensure quality patient care. With the incorporation of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, this project will evaluate the effectiveness of an educational program aimed at improving handoff communication skills in pre-licensure nursing students. The standard Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (SBAR) communication format along with role play will be incorporated and students will be evaluated during their clinical rotations on their use of the skills learned. This project is ongoing; therefore, outcomes will be presented once completed.