Developing an educational blueprint for surgical handover curricula: a critical review of the evidence

Background Currently no guidelines exist for the development of surgical handover educational curricula. This critical review synthesises the relevant literature to identify best approaches to handover education and develop an evidence-based framework for teaching and assessing surgical handover skills. Methods The following resources were critically reviewed by two independent researchers to identify key educational components; (1) all published studies primarily utilising an educational intervention to improve surgical handover up to May 2023, (2) key international guidelines and (3) reviews of all handover interventions published within the last 10 years. Results A total of eight comparative studies, two systematic reviews, and four handover guidelines were included. Findings were reported across eight domains; including educational setting, approach, format, content, resources used, assessment, student feedback, and follow-up training. A framework for developing surgical handover curricula was also reported. Conclusion The reported educational framework or ‘blueprint’ aims to assist educators across multiple settings to develop evidence-based surgical handover curricula for undergraduate and postgraduate learners. Future studies need to achieve higher Kirkpatrick levels to demonstrate both effectiveness and sustainability of educational interventions, ensuring safer patient care.