Hand off reports serve to provide continuity of care as patients are transferred between healthcare providers or units. They include updated information on a patient's condition, treatment plan, medications, and any recent or anticipated changes. This allows the receiving provider to understand the patient's baseline and expected care. Change-of-shift reports occur daily to transfer relevant patient information from the outgoing nurses to the oncoming shift. Transfer reports involve communicating a patient's details, medical history, current status, care plan and needs as they move between units so the receiving nurse is properly informed on the patient's status and has an opportunity to ask any clarifying questions.

1. HAND OFF REPORT
It happens anytime during the transfer of
patient care from one health care provider
to another.

2. PURPOSE
• To provide better continuity & individualized
care for patients.
• It includes update information of a patient’s
condition, required care, treatment,
medications, services and any recent or
anticipated change.
• Information can be given face to face, in
writing, or verbally (such as over the
telephone/ audiorecording).

3. • An effective hand off report is quick and
effective.
• It provides a baseline for comparisons &
indicates the kind of care anticipated for the
head nurse who will be caring for the patient.

4. CHANGE-OF-SHIFT REPORT
• This type of hand of report occurs at the end of
every shift.
• It provides the transfer of relevant information
from nurses who have completed a shift to nurses
who are to begin the shift.
• It can be given to nurses when they walk together
from one patient to the next and it is called
“walking rounds”.
• Helps the nurse to obtain immediate feedback
about patient’s care.

5. TRANSFER REPORT
It involves communication of information
about patient from the nurse on the sending
unit to the nurse at the receiving unit.
Information in the transfer report include:
Patient’s name, age , health provider
&medical diagnosis
Summary of medical progress up to time of
transfer.

6. Current health status
Allergies
Emergency code status
Family support
Current nursing diagnosis/ problem & care
plan.
Any critical assessment or interventions to be
completed shortly after transfer.
Up-to-date reconciled medication list.
Need for any special equipment, such as
isolation equipment or suction equipment.

7. At the end of the transfer report the receiving
nurse clarifies information by asking questions
about the patient status.