Five seconds to safety: detecting and managing critical instability before structured handover in non-trauma patients

In recent years, effective and safe patient handover concepts have been established in the resuscitation room. The utilisation of a structured scheme and the establishment of a 'handover culture', wherein all team members recognise the significance of this phase, serve as crucial milestones. In the interest of patient safety, it is recommended that a "5-second round" is conducted prior to the initiation of the handover process. The purpose of this procedure is to facilitate the evaluation of the patient's stability during the handover phase, thereby identifying the necessity for critical interventions to be performed beforehand. Originally developed for trauma patients, this tool is also relevant for critically ill non-trauma patients. The objective of this article is to provide a more detailed description of the original 5-second round, to adapt its application for use in critically ill non-trauma patients and to give some examples of concrete actions.