The emergency department is a complex environment in which reliable communication is vital for safe patient care. Communication during nurse shift report can be risky without an effective report process in practice. Reliability improves with the use of a standardized, patient-centered nurse handoff process. Quality improvement methods were used to promote reliable information exchange during nurse shift handoff through the implementation of a standardized, patient-centric bedside report process. Forty-six hospital-based emergency nurses participated in the project. Outcomes were measured through observation of bedside report process, nurse, and patient surveys. Of 13 handoffs observed, 92% occurred at the bedside and 54% of patients actively participated in the report process. The offgoing nurses adopted most elements of the handoff process, while the oncoming nurses were less successful. Nurses believed that the new process influenced their ability to respond to patient needs and patients were more satisfied with nurses. A structured, patient-centered bedside handoff process can reduce safety risk and promote satisfaction with care through reliable information exchange. This implementation template for bedside handoff engages staff and patients while translating best practice.

We embarked on a quality improvement plan to improve culture care in a school of nursing. The nursing workforce is experiencing escalating occupational stress, leading to high turnover. When faculty role model caring, they empower themselves and the future workforce with strategies for self-care and resilience. A faculty self-assessment of caring behaviors and caring relationships was conducted before a caring science workshop. The workshop used Watson’s Caritas Processes to introduce caring micro-practices. Qualitative interviews with faculty after the workshop generated two themes: self-awareness of self-care and caring pedagogy. Themes revealed faculty value this approach for continuous improvement in a caring culture.