Date
10-16-2025
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
Chair
Rachel Joseph
Keywords
handoff, senior nursing student, experience, transcendental, communication
Disciplines
Nursing
Recommended Citation
Bryson, Karen, "Nurse-to-Nurse Change-of-Shift Handoff Communication: The Experience Among Senior Nursing Students in a Hospital Setting—a Transcendental Phenomenological Study" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7556.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7556
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of senior nursing students with nurse-to-nurse change-of-shift handoff communication during their clinical practicum at a major healthcare system in the United States. The guiding research question was: What are the lived experiences of senior nursing students when communicating shift-to-shift handoff reports to incoming nurses during senior clinical practicum in an acute care hospital setting? Bandura's social cognitive theory and Kolb's experiential learning theory are the two theories that support the conceptual framework of this study. Ten nursing students were purposefully recruited from local two-year and four-year nursing school programs. Data was collected through semi-structured individual interviews, focus group interviews conducted through Zoom meetings, and the analysis of student journals. The main themes that emerged were (a) initial emotional experience, (b) learning process, (c) strategies for enhancing handoff procedures, and (d) barriers to effective handoff. Initial emotional experience comprised anxiety, worries, nervousness, uncertainties, and lack of confidence in conducting handoff. Learning process entailed (a) gradual development of handoff skills, (b) reflection on the handoff process, and (c) role of preceptor mentorship. Strategies for enhancing handoff procedures included (a) using structured and standardized handoff tools and procedures, (b) adapting to emerging clinical situations, and (c) early handoff preparations. Common barriers to effective handoff were related to human factors and clinical and environmental factors. These findings highlight the importance of simulation and reflection in developing handoff skills. Future researchers should longitudinally track handoff skill development and evaluate AI integration in handoff.
