Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Collegian, cilt.32, sa.4, ss.242-249, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
Background: Ineffective handover may lead to patient harm. Aim: The purpose of this study is to determine nurses’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the handover process and the factors that influence handover effectiveness and perceived barriers. Methods: A single-centre descriptive cross-sectional design was used. The study was completed with 249 nurses working in the medical and surgical units of a city hospital in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. Data were collected with the ‘Personal Information Form’ and ‘Handover Evaluation Scale (HES)’ between July and October 2023. The generalised linear model (GLM) analysis with gamma distribution and log link function was used. The STROBE guidelines were followed in the study. Findings: The HES total mean score was 56.0 ± 6.9. According to the multivariable GLM analysis, female nurses (Exp(B)=1.062), those who received handover training (Exp(B)=1.055), and those who used handover tools such as forms, inpatient lists, or records (Exp(B)=1.077) had significantly higher HES scores (p<.05 for all). Noise, workload, and tiredness were the most frequently reported barriers to effective handover. Discussion: Nurses’ perceptions of handover effectiveness were high, with a total mean score on the HES of 80% (56.0/70). Sex, receiving handover training, and using forms, records, or lists were associated with nurses’ perceptions of handover effectiveness. Noise was the most frequent negative influencing factor. The findings may be useful for further studies on the handover effectiveness and strategies to maintain and improve effectiveness. Conclusion: The high perceptions of handover effectiveness are important for patient safety and care continuity. This study showed the importance of training and standardisation in handover effectiveness and the need to control factors that negatively affect the handover process.