• Christian James Turner, Barbara Haas, Christie Lee, Savtaj Brar, Michael Eric Detsky, and Laveena Munshi.
• Christian James Turner is an intensivist and clinical instructor, University Hospital of Northern British Columbia and University of British Columbia, Canada. Barbara Haas is an assistant professor, Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine and Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Christie Lee, Michael Eric Detsky, and Laveena Munshi are assistant professors, Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, Sinai Health System, University of Toronto. Savtaj Brar is an assistant professor, Department of Surgery, Sinai Health System, University of Toronto. christianjamesturner@gmail.com.
• Am. J. Crit. Care. 2018 Sep 1; 27 (5): 392-397.

BackgroundStructured communication tools for postoperative surgical handover to the intensive care unit (ICU) have shown promise, yet little work has addressed ongoing daily communication between the surgery and ICU teams thereafter.ObjectivesEvaluation of a novel, 2-part communication intervention between surgery and ICU teams focused on postoperative handover and ongoing daily communication.MethodsA mixed-methods, pre- and postintervention survey study was conducted in a closed quaternary medical-surgical ICU. Study participants (N = 112) included ICU physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, and physicians on the surgical team. The intervention consisted of a handover checklist completed postoperatively on arrival in the ICU and a 5-item communication tool completed daily by the surgical team.ResultsSatisfaction improved significantly in the following areas: postoperative handover communication (P < .001), daily communication (P = .001), understanding the postoperative plan (P < .001), initiation of deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis (P = .008), initiation of feeding (P = .009), and daily primary resident contact (P = .008). No significant improvement was seen in communication regarding disposition or overall improvement in patient safety risk from communication errors.ConclusionsA simple handover checklist improved health care practitioner satisfaction with communication during postoperative handover to the ICU. Concise daily communication tools are an appropriate option for improving ongoing communication between surgeons and the ICU team thereafter.©2018 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

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