Factors Affecting Patient Falls in The Cardiac Ward of Two Selected Hospitals in Batangas City: Basis For Prevention Strategies

This study assessed communication efficiency in nurse-to-nurse handovers and its relationship with demographic profile and workload-related factors among nurses in a surgical ward in a selected hospital. A quantitative descriptive–correlational design was used, involving 27 registered nurses selected through total sampling. Data were gathered using a validated researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that communication efficiency was at a good level (M = 4.22), indicating effective exchange of patient information during handovers, while workload-related factors such as nurse–patient ratio (M = 3.96) and shift transitions (M = 4.01) influenced communication and patient safety. No significant relationship was found between communication efficiency and demographic variables (p > 0.05), suggesting that organizational and workload factors had greater influence than individual characteristics. The study concluded that structured communication, workload management, and staffing improvement are essential to enhance patient safety.