Handovers during anaesthetic care can be further improved
Dahan, A.; Aarts, L.P.H.J.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 162: D2636
2018
ISSN/ISBN: 1876-8784 PMID: 29519263 Document Number: 695723
In 2005, the Dutch Society of Anaesthesiologists showed that handovers during anaesthetic care increase complication and mortality rates, an observation that has recently been confirmed by a Canadian study. In contrast to surgical care, handovers in anaesthetic care are quite common for various reasons including end of shift, tiredness after night duty, and activities outside the operating centre. The quality of handovers could be improved by training on an anaesthesia simulator, with emphasis on communication, reduction of information loss and using checklists.