PhD Position Safe and Effective Handover Practices in Sociotechnical Intensive Care Unit Context at TU Delft

Safe and effective handover practices in sociotechnical Intensive Care Unit context

Job description 

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a highly complex and dynamic environment where critically ill patients require continuous monitoring and multidisciplinary care. Safe transfer of information during handovers between healthcare professionals is essential for maintaining continuity of care, reducing errors, and ensuring patient safety. ICU handovers occur frequently, including shift changes, transfers between units, and transitions of care involving physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

Despite increasing attention to patient safety, substantial variation exists in how handovers are performed across hospitals and clinical teams. Structured handover tools, electronic support systems, and standardized communication frameworks (e.g., SBAR, I-PASS) have been introduced to improve information transfer. However, the implementation and effectiveness of these interventions vary considerably, and handovers remain vulnerable to communication failures, interruptions, information loss, cognitive overload and sociotechnical challenges.

This PhD project aims to examine ICU handover practices in their sociotechnical context, how they are implemented and adapted in clinical settings, their impact on patient safety and care outcomes, and the system factors that facilitate or hinder effective communication during transitions of care.

Job requirements 

• A background in Medicine, Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Clinical Technology, Technical Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Management of Technology, Human Factors, Complex Systems Engineering and Management or related field

• A demonstrated affinity with Healthcare

• Preferably experience with Safety Science

• Willingness to work closely with stakeholders from healthcare organizations

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills

• Being open-minded, independent, eager to learn and a team player

• Dutch proficiency prioritized due to expected interactions in Dutch healthcare setting

• English proficiency - verbal and written

You can view the full job vacancy here.

Application deadline: 19 October 2026