Handover of responsibility for the anaesthetised patient - opinion and practice.
Horn, J. 1; Bell, M. D. D. 2; Moss, E. 2
[Article] Anaesthesia. 59(7):658-663, July 2004.

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Summary: Anaesthesia is a critical and complex process that extends from the pre-operative assessment through to the postoperative management of patients. Handover of responsibility for logistical as opposed to patient-orientated reasons may compromise that process of care. If such handover becomes inevitable with shift-based patterns of working, the implications need to be considered and procedures developed in order to minimise adverse consequences. This survey of national practice reveals little formalisation of procedure and a spectrum of opinion on the relevance of the key considerations. There is, however, a majority view amongst respondents that national guidelines would be of value and that professional defensibility would be aided by standardisation and documentation of any handover.

(C) 2004 Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland