Author Description

This case aims to provide guidance on the necessary procedures for applying ethnographic discourse analysis in translational research to assist nurse practitioners in promoting effective nursing clinical handovers. Clinical handover refers to the practice of clinical practitioners transferring responsibility and accountability for patients and their care from shift to shift. To improve clinicians' ability to communicate a complete and structured handover, and thus enhance patient safety and continuity of care, it is critical to understand and systematically evaluate their communicative practices and their perceptions of their own interactions. This case study draws on a validated training tool developed in Australia and a translational project that explored nursing handover practices in a bilingual hospital in Hong Kong. This case study demonstrates the utility of applying ethnographic discourse analysis to study health communication and interactions in organizational settings. It describes the processes of designing the research, planning the observations, communicating with key staff in each phase, researching staff perceptions, and developing a training program to enhance staff awareness of effective communication. It also showcases how research findings can inform training and teaching in the field of health care communication.