Training for safer communication: simulation-based ISBAR handover and its implications for nurse educators and prequalifying nursing education

Background
Effective clinical handover is essential for patient safety, particularly in bilingual, multicultural hospital contexts. Simulation-based training using structured communication protocols such as Identification, Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (ISBAR) has demonstrated potential benefits, but little is known about how individual differences at baseline influence training trajectories over time.
Aim
This study examined the pre-test–post-test effects of ISBAR simulation training on nurses’ handover self-efficacy, protocol perceptions, and perceived competency.
Methods
Using a pre-test–post-test design, 558 nurses from bilingual hospitals in Hong Kong completed self-report measures before and after training. Latent change score (LCS) modeling was employed to assess changes across three latent constructs: handover self-efficacy, protocol perceptions, and perceived competency.
Results
ISBAR training significantly enhanced nurses’ self-efficacy and perceived competency, particularly among those with lower baseline scores. However, improvements in protocol perceptions were not strongly associated with self-efficacy gains, suggesting distinct developmental trajectories.
Conclusions Simulation-based ISBAR training strengthens nurses’ handover communication competencies. Person-centered training tailored to baseline profiles may further optimize handover performance and patient safety outcomes. Findings highlight the potential of simulation-based ISBAR training as an effective pedagogical model for nurse educators.