Handover Toolkit - A resource to help teach, assess and implement a handover improvement program

Sep 12, 2026

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Handover Toolkit provides structured guidance to teach, assess, and implement an improvement program for clinical handover. It explains why handover matters for patient safety, describes the complexity of transferring information, and frames handover within the CanMEDS 2015 approach. The toolkit covers communication and teamwork foundations, identifies barriers and features of effective handover, and presents best practices. It also supports program implementation and curriculum development, including learning resources and case-based learning methods.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages89

Reading Time31 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction to the Handover Toolkit

What is the purpose of the Handover Toolkit?

What is the structure of the toolkit?

Who is the toolkit for?

Who created the toolkit?

Section 1: HANDOVER: WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

Section objectives

Definition of handover

Handover and patient safety

The complexity of handover

The addition of handover to the CanMEDS 2015 Framework

Section 2: COMMUNICATION AND TEAMWORK: THE FOUNDATIONS OF EFFECTIVE HANDOVER

Section objectives

Background

Four areas of teamwork competency

Features of effective communication during handover

Barriers to effective communication during handover

Top 5 tips

Section 3: HANDOVER BEST PRACTICES

Section objectives

Participants in handover should receive training

Efforts should be made to optimize the environment in which handover occurs

Handover should involve both the verbal and written transfer of information

Handover should be structured using a standardized format

Information technology should be leveraged to optimize handover

HANDOVER TOOLKIT A resource to help teach, assess and implement a handover improvement program Editors: Zia Bis milla & Brian Wong How to cite this document: Bismilla Z, Wong B. Handover Toolkit: A resource to help teach, assess and implement a handover improvement program. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; 2018. How to cite individual sections: Section 1 – Handover: what’s the big deal? Gleicher J, McLaughlin T. Section 1 –Handover: what’s the big deal? In: Handover Toolkit: A resource to help teach, assess and implement a handover improvement program. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; 2018. Section 2 – Communication and Teamwork: The Foundations of Effective Handover Huth K, Ward H, Section 2 – Communication and Teamwork: The Foundations of Effective Handover. In: Handover Toolkit: Aresource to help teach, assess and implement a handover improvement program. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; 2018. Section 3 – Handover Best Practices Huth K, McLaughlin T, Nakajima A. Section 3 – Handover Best Practices. In: Handover Toolkit: A resource to help teach, assess and implement a handover improvement program. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; 2018. Section 4 – Program Implementation Nakajima A, Rayar M Section 4 – Program Implementation. In: Handover Toolkit: A resource to help teach, assess and implement a handover improvement program. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; 2018. Section 5 – Learning Resources for Handover: Handover Curriculum Development Ward H, Nakajima A, Rayar M. Section 5 –Learning Resources for Handover: Handover Curriculum Development. In: Handover Toolkit: A resource to help teach, assess and implement a handover improvement program. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; 2018. Section 6 – Case-based Learning J Gleicher J, Eskander A. Section 6 –Case-based Learning. In: Handover Toolkit: A resource to help teach, assess and implement a handover improvement program. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; 2018. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada 774 Echo Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5N8 Canada Telephone: 613-730-8177 Toll-Free: 1-800-668-3740 Fax: 613-730-3707 Website: [royalcollege.ca/canmeds](royalcollege.ca/canmeds) E-mail: canmeds@royalcollege.ca © 2018 Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational, personal or public non-commercial purposes only. Written permission from the Royal College is required for all other uses. Table of Contents Introduction to the Handover Toolkit .................................................................................................. 4 What is the purpose of the Handover Toolkit? ................................................................................ 4 What is the structure of the toolkit? .................................................................................................. 5 Who is the toolkit for? .......................................................................................................................... 5 Who created the toolkit? ..................................................................................................................... 5 Section 1: HANDOVER: WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? .................................................................................. 6 Section objectives ................................................................................................................................. 6 Definition of handover ........................................................................................................................ 6 Handover and patient safety .............................................................................................................. 7 The complexity of handover ...........

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Handover Toolkit?

It helps teach, assess, and implement a handover improvement program focused on safer, more effective transfer of information during clinical handover.

How does the toolkit describe why handover is important?

It links handover to patient safety, highlights the complexity of transferring information, and positions handover as part of the CanMEDS 2015 Framework.

Which topics are covered under communication and teamwork?

It covers teamwork competencies, features of effective communication during handover, barriers to effective communication, and provides top practical tips.

Sep 12, 2026

Upload by Hazel