ASSESMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDIZED BEDSIDE HANDOVER PRACTICES AMONG NURSES AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN MARDAN

Abstract

Background: Effective nursing handover is a critical component of patient safety and continuity of care. Communication failures during shift changes are recognized as a major cause of adverse events in hospital settings. The Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (SBAR) framework has been widely adopted to standardize nursing handovers and improve communication clarity. Objective: To assess nurses’ compliance with standardized bedside handover practices using the SBAR framework and to identify factors influencing compliance among nurses working in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 175 registered nurses working in medical, surgical, and critical care wards of a tertiary care hospital. Data were collected using a structured SBAR compliance checklist and a questionnaire assessing influencing factors. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic variables and compliance levels, while inferential statistics (independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation) examined associations between demographic and organizational factors and SBAR compliance. Results: The findings revealed moderate to high compliance with SBAR handover practices among nurses. Female nurse’s demonstrated significantly higher compliance compared to male nurses (p < 0.05). Age was not significantly associated with overall SBAR compliance, although differences were observed in specific SBAR components. Organizational factors such as teamwork, training, and adequate time allocation showed a significant positive correlation with SBAR compliance (r = 0.386, p < 0.001). The study instrument demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.867). Conclusion: Nurses showed satisfactory compliance with SBAR-based bedside handover practices; however, compliance was influenced by gender and organizational factors. Strengthening training programs, promoting teamwork, and improving institutional support may further enhance standardized handover practices and patient safety outcomes.