There is evidence to suggest that performing change of shift report at the bedside is key to patient safety.
In 2001, the Institute of Medicine stated that "it is in inadequate handoff that safety often fails first.
"[5] This is because at every change of shift, there is a chance for miscommunication about vital patient information.
[6] However, it wasn't until recently that it was known how Nursing Bedside Shift Report works to keep patients safe.
[1][8] Preliminary results from a simulation study found that the way nursing report is structured, can affect nurses' safety oriented behaviors (like checking for pressure ulcers, double checking medications, decreasing room clutter to prevent falls).