About this resource
Good handovers keep support consistent. This template covers how the person has been, activities and highlights, health and medication notes, any incidents, things to follow up and what the person wants the next worker to know, written respectfully.
Purpose
To make handovers consistent, respectful and complete.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Disability support workers. Also relevant for NDIS providers and support coordinators, positive behaviour support practitioners.
Client or participant group: Support workers handing over between shifts.
Practice setting: Supported living, respite and in-home support.
Suggested uses
- Every shift change
- New worker orientation
- Quality reviews
- Team communication
Instructions for practitioners
- Write respectfully, as if the person will read it.
- Include positives and highlights.
- Record medication on the medication chart, not only here.
- Follow incident reporting procedures separately.
Accessibility considerations
Editable HTML source available for adaptation.
Scope and limitations
A handover template. It does not replace incident reports, medication charts or progress notes.
Research basis
Structured handover tools improve communication and patient safety. Interprofessional collaboration interventions may improve professional practice and outcomes, although the evidence is still limited. Case management practice standards describe assessment, planning, coordination, review and planned exits with the person at the centre.
- Case Management Society of Australia and New Zealand. (2013). National standards of practice for case management (3rd ed.). https://www.cmsa.org.au/
- Müller, M., Jürgens, J., Redaèlli, M., Klingberg, K., Hautz, W. E., & Stock, S. (2018). Impact of the communication and patient hand-off tool SBAR on patient safety: a systematic review. BMJ Open, 8(8), e022202. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022202
- Reeves, S., Pelone, F., Harrison, R., Goldman, J., & Zwarenstein, M. (2017). Interprofessional collaboration to improve professional practice and healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Article CD000072. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd000072.pub3
What is included
A 2-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure, layout and icons were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced.
