Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background and Aims
Patient handover from the operating room to the recovery unit is critical but error‑prone in perioperative care. Despite its importance, structured training in handoff communication is rarely included in anesthesia curricula. This study aimed to design and evaluate an ADDIE‑based educational intervention to improve anesthesia students' handover competencies.
Methods
A sequential explanatory mixed‐methods design was employed, with a qualitative phase followed by a quantitative RCT (pre‐test/post‐test control group). Educational needs were explored via semi‐structured interviews with anesthesia students, instructors, and recovery staff, plus clinical observation. Interview data underwent conventional content analysis based on the approach described by Hsieh and Shannon (2005). Based on these findings, a two‐session intervention was developed, incorporating simulation‐based role‐playing, video analysis, and multi‐source feedback. Sixty‐three undergraduate anesthesia students were individually randomized to intervention (
n
= 32) or control (
n
= 31) using a random numbers table, with semester as stratification variable. Handover skills were assessed pre‐ and post‐training using a validated 13‐item checklist; data were analyzed with paired/independent
t
‐tests.
Results
The intervention and control groups were comparable at baseline (3.34 vs. 3.03,
p
= 0.343). Both groups improved, but the intervention showed a significantly greater increase in handoff skills, with mean scores rising from 3.34 ( ± 1.47) to 8.25 ( ± 2.24) (
p
d
= 1.692). The control group's improvement was modest (from 3.03 ± 1.08 to 3.61 ± 0.91). The between‐group comparison confirmed the superiority of the ADDIE‐based intervention (mean difference: 4.623, 95% CI: 3.741–5.505,
p
Conclusion
The ADDIE‑based intervention significantly enhanced handoff skills, highlighting the value of systematic instructional design in clinical education. These findings support integrating standardized communication training into curricula and warrant future multi‑center studies with long‑term follow‑up.