Proper handover and notes in the house job

Why handover and notes decide how the next shift goes

The person who takes over inherits everything you leave unfinished. A clear written handover and readable notes protect the patient and make you look reliable. Vague or missing information is one of the fastest ways to lose trust on the unit.

What a useful handover actually contains

• Sick or unstable patients first — name, bed, main problem, current plan, what is still pending
• Outstanding results or investigations that need action
• Patients who need review overnight or in the morning
• Any relatives who are particularly anxious or who have already spoken to a senior
• Jobs that were promised but not yet done

Keep it short enough that the next person can absorb it in a few minutes. Long stories are less useful than clear lists.

Notes that help the next doctor

Write so that someone who has never seen the patient can understand the current problem and the plan. Date and time every entry. Record important conversations with relatives and the exact advice given by seniors. If you change a plan, say why.

Discharge summaries should list the diagnosis, key events, medications on discharge, and clear follow-up instructions. Incomplete summaries create problems for the patient and for the next hospital that sees them.

Habits that make this automatic

• Update the list throughout the day, not only at the end of the shift.
• Write the handover before you are exhausted.
• If the unit uses a digital system, still keep a personal running list for the sickest patients.
• When in doubt, write more rather than less about unstable patients.

Read next: House job survival guide · Surviving night duty · Studying for FCPS Part 1 during house job · Clinical guides for the ward: medicine on call and surgery on call.

Frequently asked questions