Assessment of Nursing Handover Practices and Patient Safety Outcomes at Teaching Hospitals in Delta State

Background: Nursing handover is a critical information transfer point that, when poorly executed, can result in adverse events including medication errors and omissions of care. Aim: This study assessed nursing handover practices and their association with patient safety outcomes at teaching hospitals in Delta State, South South Nigeria. Methods: A mixed-methods design combined structured observation of 150 handover sessions with a cross-sectional survey of 85 nurses. Patient safety outcome data were abstracted from ward incident logs. Data were analysed using SPSS version 26. Results: Only 47% of observed handovers included all recommended elements: patient identity, diagnosis, pending investigations, and current nursing problems. Near-miss incidents were 2.4 times more likely on shifts preceded by incomplete handovers. Nurses cited time pressure, distractions, and absence of a structured handover framework as primary limitations. Conclusion: Structured handover frameworks, such as the ISBAR tool, combined with dedicated handover time and staff training, can significantly reduce information transfer failures and improve patient safety in Nigerian hospitals. Keywords: nursing handover, patient safety, ISBAR, Delta State, care continuity.