Senior Nursing Poster Session (Virtual)

Presenter Information

Kalyn GriceFollow
Emma DurhamFollow

Academic Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

Major

Nursing

2nd Student Academic Level at Time of Presentation

Senior

2nd Student Major

Nursing

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Jessica Naber

Presentation Format

Poster Presentation

Abstract/Description

It has been long known that nurses can be stretched thin during their 12 hour shifts. Whether they are running around passing medications, completing orders, or performing nursing interventions the world of nursing is always go, go, go. With this mindset and culture some patients who require less tasks and care may be overlooked and not seen for a few hours during a shift. This can lead to negative patient outcomes and safety problems. Throughout the day patient’s require assistance to meet many different needs, many of them being activities of daily living, like using the restroom, changing positions, brushing their teeth, or simply reaching different objects. With a nurse's busy schedule these tasks may get pushed to the back burner and leave patient’s lacking the caring environment they need. One solution to this problem that is being widely implemented is hourly rounding. Hourly rounding is an evidence-based practice supported by multiple pieces of literature and research articles documenting the improvement of patient outcomes and safety.

Literature on hourly rounding is plentiful and there seems to be a general consensus that this intervention leads to positive outcomes, improved patient satisfaction, and an overall improvement in the quality of nursing care provided. One study in particular found that the implementation of hourly rounding decreased falls by 50% on that floor. Falls are a major concern in the healthcare field, so this statistic is something that should definitely be taken into consideration. A similar study examined call bell usage by patients instead of falls. This study found that there was a statistically significant decrease in the use of call bells in the patient population. Many different studies have put forth evidence showing that hourly rounding can be a positive practice if implemented correctly. This belief was solidified by an integrative literature review that examined many different studies and came out with the same conclusion.

Murray-Calloway County Hospital (MCCH) does not currently have a policy for hourly rounding, however they do many of these tasks under their daily care charts.. A new proposed policy written with research in mind would include the “5 P’s Method” of hourly rounding. This method involves the nurse checking on each of their patients at least once an hour. During this check the nurse would ask the patient about the 5 P’s: potty, pain, position, possessions, and pumps. These basic needs take a matter of seconds to assess and only a matter of minutes to fix any issues or meet any patient needs. The nurses at Murray-Calloway County Hospital already implement these actions into their daily care, so this new policy would only provide a more structured and efficient protocol for them to follow.

Overall, the literature found on hourly rounding supports the conclusion that this practice is backed by evidence and that it can have many positive effects on nursing care. Hourly rounding can decrease patient falls, decrease call bell usage, and improve both patient outcomes and satisfaction. This practice is integrated into most hospitals' existing systems, however, using the 5 P’s method and providing a more structured and efficient hourly rounding protocol can be beneficial to nurses, patients, and hospitals alike.

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Implementing Hourly Rounding

It has been long known that nurses can be stretched thin during their 12 hour shifts. Whether they are running around passing medications, completing orders, or performing nursing interventions the world of nursing is always go, go, go. With this mindset and culture some patients who require less tasks and care may be overlooked and not seen for a few hours during a shift. This can lead to negative patient outcomes and safety problems. Throughout the day patient’s require assistance to meet many different needs, many of them being activities of daily living, like using the restroom, changing positions, brushing their teeth, or simply reaching different objects. With a nurse's busy schedule these tasks may get pushed to the back burner and leave patient’s lacking the caring environment they need. One solution to this problem that is being widely implemented is hourly rounding. Hourly rounding is an evidence-based practice supported by multiple pieces of literature and research articles documenting the improvement of patient outcomes and safety.

Literature on hourly rounding is plentiful and there seems to be a general consensus that this intervention leads to positive outcomes, improved patient satisfaction, and an overall improvement in the quality of nursing care provided. One study in particular found that the implementation of hourly rounding decreased falls by 50% on that floor. Falls are a major concern in the healthcare field, so this statistic is something that should definitely be taken into consideration. A similar study examined call bell usage by patients instead of falls. This study found that there was a statistically significant decrease in the use of call bells in the patient population. Many different studies have put forth evidence showing that hourly rounding can be a positive practice if implemented correctly. This belief was solidified by an integrative literature review that examined many different studies and came out with the same conclusion.

Murray-Calloway County Hospital (MCCH) does not currently have a policy for hourly rounding, however they do many of these tasks under their daily care charts.. A new proposed policy written with research in mind would include the “5 P’s Method” of hourly rounding. This method involves the nurse checking on each of their patients at least once an hour. During this check the nurse would ask the patient about the 5 P’s: potty, pain, position, possessions, and pumps. These basic needs take a matter of seconds to assess and only a matter of minutes to fix any issues or meet any patient needs. The nurses at Murray-Calloway County Hospital already implement these actions into their daily care, so this new policy would only provide a more structured and efficient protocol for them to follow.

Overall, the literature found on hourly rounding supports the conclusion that this practice is backed by evidence and that it can have many positive effects on nursing care. Hourly rounding can decrease patient falls, decrease call bell usage, and improve both patient outcomes and satisfaction. This practice is integrated into most hospitals' existing systems, however, using the 5 P’s method and providing a more structured and efficient hourly rounding protocol can be beneficial to nurses, patients, and hospitals alike.