NURS 8502

Identifying and Leading Practice Change to Improve Nurse Handoff Communication Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Course Name Instructor’s Name Due Date Identifying and Leading Practice Change to Improve Nurse Handoff Communication Introduction Identifying a clear gap in practice is important to transform a practice-focused question into meaningful change. According to White et al. (2024), evidence translation into practice requires identification of discrepancies between the current practice and evidence-based standards. This paper identifies a specific practice gap related to nurses' communication during shift handoffs and proposes a structured approach to address this by implementing bedside shift reports. Practice Gap Identification At the time of my practicum experience and discussions with my preceptor, I highlighted a gap in communication practices in the course of nurse handoffs. Effective communication amid nurse handoffs is critical for ensuring patient safety and satisfaction. Nevertheless, traditional bedside handoffs that are based on the exchange of preshift and daily reports at the nurse's station presently lead to communication errors, lower patient satisfaction, and decreased patient engagement (Jimmerson et al., 2021). This gap presents opportunities for improvement that are aligned with national competencies in evidence-based practice and quality improvement for my DNP project. Practice Change to Address ...