Success Factors for Quality and Safety of Intensive Care Unit Transitional Care – Listening to the Sharp End

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to present success factors for increasing quality and safety of intensive care unit (ICU) transitional care as described by co-workers at the sharp end using the core values of total quality management (TQM) as a theoretical lens. Methodology/Approach: The study had a qualitative design, with data from nine interdisciplinary focus group discussions, including co-workers from the intensive care and general wards. Data were sorted into TQM core values and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings: Quality and safety in transfer processes requires a holistic view, avoiding silos, shared arenas for collaboration, and evidence-based methodologies and tools for safe transfers. Research Limitation/Implication: A limitation of this study is that it only portrays the challenges encountered by two hospitals during the process of transitional care in the ICU. Originality/Value of paper: By using TQM core values as a theoretical lens, we could present a usable, holistic picture of success factors and how to improve the transfer process.