Emergency Medicine Physician how-to

How to Hand Off Patients at Shift Change

Good sign-outs prevent errors.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
Quick answer

Good sign-outs prevent errors. In short: use; summarize; list, then complete the remaining steps below.

Step by step

  1. Use a structured format.

  2. Summarize each patient.

  3. List pending tests.

  4. Flag sick patients.

  5. Give contingency plans.

  6. Confirm understanding.

Safety reminders for emergency medicine physicians

  • Follow infection control
  • Use de-escalation for aggressive patients
  • Use sharps safety
  • Follow trauma and code protocols

Triage · Resuscitation · ACLS · Trauma activation · Intubation · FAST exam: see the full emergency medicine physician glossary.

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