Incorporating bedside report into nursing handoff: evaluation of change in practice.

Nursing shift report on the medical-surgical units of a large teaching hospital was modified from a recorded report to a blend of both recorded and bedside components. Comparisons between baseline and postimplementation data indicated increased patient satisfaction and nurse perception of accountability and patient involvement but reduced nurse perceptions of efficiency and effectiveness of report. Patient falls at shift change and medication errors were reduced, whereas nurse overtime remained unchanged.