Handoff Training for Medical Students: Attitudes, Knowledge, and Sustainability of Skills

Introduction: The medical community has placed increasing emphasis on ensuring quality patient care handoffs, yet there is relatively little research regarding educational interventions for medical students. Objective: To assess the impact of a handoff communication workshop on senior medical students attitudes, knowledge, and skills. Method: A 3-hour handoff skills workshop was developed using published research and educational models. The session included didactic lectures, role-play activities, and group discussion. We assessed the workshop’s impact using attitudinal, fact-based multiple choice, and case-based questions preceding, immediately following, and several months after the intervention. Result: From 2013- 2014, 59 students participated in the handoff training, with 56 (95%) completing the pre- and post-tests. Participants’ self-reported attitudes improved following the intervention (p≤.005 in 12 of 13 questions). The mean number of correct answers on multiple choice questions increased from 6.75 (CI 6.44-7.05) to 8.47 (CI 8.28-8.67) out of 9 (p .001). Vignette scores improved from 6.00 to 8.14 out of 10 (p 0.001). Thirty-six participants (61%) completed the pre-, post-, and follow-up vignettes. Postworkshop vignette scores improved significantly (6.28 vs. 8.19, p .001), but decreased in follow-up testing (8.19 vs. 6.97, p=.008). Conclusion: The handoff workshop improved participants’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills, but performance gains declined in the months following training. These findings suggest that handoff training should coincide with the opportunity to apply these skills in a clinical context.