What information should be included in a hand-off to hospital staff?

• A. Mechanism; initial and ongoing vitals; treatments performed; patient response; ongoing concerns; ETA
• B. ETA
• C. Patient's favorite color
• D. Route of transport

Answer: (A)

Transferring care safely means giving the receiving team a clear snapshot of the patient’s current status and what to expect next. The best information to include covers how the injury occurred to frame likely injuries and risks, the initial and ongoing vitals to show stability and trends, the treatments that have been performed to document what care has already been given, the patient’s response to those treatments to gauge effectiveness or adverse effects, any ongoing concerns to flag potential deterioration or needed interventions, and the estimated time of arrival so hospital staff can prepare appropriately. Providing only the ETA leaves out crucial clinical context needed for continuing care, and details like a patient’s favorite color are not relevant to medical management. The route of transport is more operational and typically not central to the hand-off’s clinical purpose.