Nursing administration quarterly
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The emergency department is a complex environment in which reliable communication is vital for safe patient care. Communication during nurse shift report can be risky without an effective report process in practice. Reliability improves with the use of a standardized, patient-centered nurse handoff process. ⋯ Nurses believed that the new process influenced their ability to respond to patient needs and patients were more satisfied with nurses. A structured, patient-centered bedside handoff process can reduce safety risk and promote satisfaction with care through reliable information exchange. This implementation template for bedside handoff engages staff and patients while translating best practice.
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Person- and family-centered care (PFCC) is a philosophy that has been espoused for decades and yet is rarely embedded in health care organizations. Difficulties dispelling the numerous myths about what PFCC is, as well as daunting challenges to designing and implementing it, have hindered progress. The chief nurse officer is well-positioned to assume organizational leadership in successfully navigating this effort. This article provides 9 specific steps a chief nurse officer should take to create a culture, with supportive systems and an environment, to ensure authentic PFCC.