Communicating for safety
Clinical Handover
“Clinical handover is an important way to transfer information, responsibility and accountability from one member of staff to another. ”
Lift uses the ISBAR handover protocol for clinical handover. ISBAR organises a conversation into the essential elements in the transfer of information from one source to another.
“Each team member has a role to play in clinical handover”
The Medical Practitioner
As per the Care Plan, the Medical Practitioner is to review and document
o Changes to Oncological Treatment Plan
o Changes to allergies
o Changes to skin integrity
o Changes to symptoms that may affect safe participation in treatment
o Changes to vital obs that may affect safe participation in treatment
It is the responsibility of the Medical Practitioner to:
provide this information to the treating Physiotherapist/EP at Lift, by following the Clinical Handover Guidelines
provide Clinical Handover to the Physiotherapist/EP before any patient begins Exercise Medicine.
highlight any changes to critical information and the subsequent limitations this presents to the exercise medicine procedure of the patient.
The Physiotherapists and EPs
It is the responsibility of the Physiotherapist/EP to:
receive clinical handover from the Medical Practitioner before any patient begins exercise medicine.
plan and execute the Exercise Medicine procedure in line with the handover provided by the Medical Practitioner
document in the clinical notes, any changes to critical information as highlighted by the Medical Practitioner.
record any patient reported changes to critical information in the clinical case notes.
seek review from the Medical Practitioner if the changes reported may affect safe participation in treatment. (Example – acute onset of dizziness)
“Each handover should be performed as if both clinicians have never met the patient or worked with them in the gym”