Shift Handover

Structured shift-to-shift handover so the incoming team knows what changed, what's in progress, and what needs attention. Used in healthcare, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, and any 24/7 operation.

Steps

• The outgoing role prepares the handover record
  The outgoing role records the current shift status before the briefing begins. Include completed work, open tasks, equipment status, staffing gaps, incidents, deviations, and any items needing follow-up. Record only factual, time-stamped information that another competent person can act on.
• The outgoing role identifies critical changes and deviations
  The outgoing role highlights anything that changed during the shift, including safety issues, quality issues, service interruptions, unusual demand, delayed work, or non-conformance. State the deviation, its impact, and whether an escalation has already occurred.
• The outgoing role briefs the incoming role
  The outgoing role gives a concise verbal briefing to the incoming role. Cover current status, in-progress work, priority tasks, pending approvals, customer or patient concerns, and any time-sensitive deadlines. Use plain language and confirm the incoming role understands each critical point before moving on.
• The incoming role verifies open items and priorities
  The incoming role reviews the handover record and confirms the status of each open item. Verify the following: - What is complete - What is in progress - What is blocked - What needs escalation - What must be completed during the next shift If any item is unclear, the incoming role asks for clarification before accepting responsibility.
• The incoming role confirms safety, equipment, and service readiness
  The incoming role checks for safety-critical concerns, equipment status, required supplies, and any service constraints that could affect the next shift. If a hazard, equipment fault, or staffing risk is identified, the incoming role initiates escalation according to site procedure before proceeding.
• The outgoing and incoming roles document the handover completion
  The outgoing and incoming roles record the handover completion in the approved log or system. Include the handover time, names or roles of both parties, unresolved items, and any escalation reference numbers. If the handover is incomplete, document the reason and the next required action.
• The incoming role escalates unresolved critical issues
  The incoming role escalates any unresolved critical issue that exceeds tolerance, creates a safety risk, affects service continuity, or could cause a non-conformance. Escalate to the designated supervisor, competent person, or on-call contact using the site escalation path.