A scoping review of clinical handover mnemonic devices.

This article focuses on developing a universal taxonomy to describe the clinical processes and functions embedded in clinical handover mnemonic devices, which are tools used to improve patient safety during healthcare shift changes. By analyzing 42 mnemonics comprising 238 elements identified through a PubMed literature search, the study categorizes these elements into three main processes—administrative, clinical, and communication—with 20 associated functions. The findings reveal that most mnemonic elements emphasize clinical information such as medical condition and history, while communication processes like validation and manner receive less attention. The proposed taxonomy aims to assist healthcare practitioners and administrators in designing, evaluating, and adapting clinical handover tools tailored to their specific workplace needs, thereby potentially enhancing the safety and effectiveness of patient handovers.