Which concern would you raise about the report?
Separate submitted slips from the result the exercise measured.
The question
A fictional ward education group runs seven handoff rehearsals. The draft summary says all seven handoffs met the exercise goal. A colleague says the summary is ready to share with the educator.
| Count | |
|---|---|
| Rehearsal pairs | 7 |
| Slips received | 7 |
Each pair submits one slip. The record counts submissions.
- Observed checkThe receiver should name the owner of the next action.
- Who owns the summary?The educator checks and approves the summary before it is shared.
“What would you say before the educator shares the summary?”
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A strong answer, step by step
Open each step in turn. This is one strong answer, not the only one.
Step 1: What does the slip record?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Count each submitted slip as a successful handoff.
Tempting, but it misses something. The slip does not record whether the owner was named.
Keep submission separate from the observation check.
The strong move. A slip can be submitted even if the receiver misses the check.
See how a strong candidate says it
“The slips tell us that all seven pairs submitted something. The observation sheet tells us whether the receivers named the next owner.”
Why it works: The two sources record different outcomes.
Step 2: What would you check before reporting success?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Ask for the observer’s count before reporting the exercise result.
The strong move. It measures the task the summary describes.
Report the draft total because each pair sent a slip.
Tempting, but it misses something. That repeats the submission count without checking the observed result.
See how a strong candidate says it
“I’d compare the draft with the observer’s sheet. The exercise counts whether the receiver could name the next owner.”
Why it works: The observation sheet measures the action the draft claims happened.
Step 3: What would you raise with the educator?
The observer records that 5 receivers correctly named the next owner and 2 did not. The submission record still shows 7 slips.
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Keep seven successful handoffs because everyone participated.
Tempting, but it misses something. Participation explains the slip count. The observation check was met by five receivers.
Give both counts and ask the educator to correct the summary.
The strong move. This gives the person who owns the summary a specific discrepancy to review.
See how a strong candidate says it
“All seven pairs submitted a slip. Five receivers named the next owner and two missed that check. Can we report those counts separately?”
Why it works: The educator can compare the draft with the two verified counts.
Step 4: What should happen next?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Ask to correct the wording and review the two missed checks.
The strong move. The observer’s record identifies the gap without explaining its cause.
Say that 71.4% of real ward handoffs are safe.
Tempting, but it misses something. The percentage comes from one fictional exercise with seven pairs.
See how a strong candidate says it
“Can we correct the summary before sharing it and use the two missed checks to choose what to rehearse again?”
Why it works: The follow-up stays within the evidence from this rehearsal.
The answer, in short
- Decision
- Report seven submissions and five of seven receivers who met the exercise check.
- Because
- The slips and observations measure two different things. Five of seven is about 71.4%.
- What would change it
- A later rehearsal with the same check could show how the group performs next time.
Common traps
- Using the submission count as the success count.
- Claiming that one exercise measures patient safety.
Check your answer
- Did I check the source of each count?
- Did I report the denominator?
- Did I ask the educator to correct the summary?
- Did I keep the claim within this exercise?
Last reviewed Nov 11, 2026