What type of documentation is essential after a patient transfer?

The essential type of documentation after a patient transfer is charting any observations and the method used for the transfer. This is crucial because it provides a detailed account of the transfer process, ensuring that all healthcare team members are informed about the patient's condition and any specific needs or concerns that may have arisen during the transfer. Recording observations helps in assessing the patient's response to the transfer, which can be critical for ongoing care and management. Additionally, documenting the method used gives insight into whether safe lifting techniques and protocols were followed, thereby promoting safety and accountability in patient handling.

While notifying the next shift about the transfer is important for continuity of care, it does not serve as formal documentation in the patient’s chart. Completing a patient satisfaction survey may be useful for quality improvement purposes, but it does not provide immediate clinical information regarding the transfer itself. Recording the time and date of the transfer is also important, but without the context of specific observations and methods, it may not offer enough detail to guide ongoing patient care effectively.