Summary
Despite the team’s best effort to find a high level of evidence supporting the
PICOT question posed, the strength of the evidence found was still very strong. The
literature supported the use of a standardized patient handoff tool, particularly the SBAR,
to improve communication. Even though it was difficult to find literature that
specifically measured patient outcomes, the consensus pointed to two theories: 1) a
standardized tool enhanced communication either directly or indirectly by preventing
information omission, and 2) ineffective communication was at the root of a significant
number of errors, mishaps, and fatalities. Since the literature was extremely limited in