Introduction of a new ward round approach in a cardiothoracic critical care unit

Aim: To share an experience of introducing a ward round checklist, a bedside nurse verbal summary and the development of standard operating procedure for Ward Rounds in cardiothoracic critical care unit to improve patient safety and care. Background: Francis (2013) described inconsistent ward rounds and failures to conduct ward rounds properly as contributing factors to the poor care seen at the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust. He suggested that the absence of a nurse at the bedside had clear consequences for communication, ward round efficiency and patient safety. He recommended that nurses should be actively involved in ward rounds and linked this to high quality patient care. Design and methods: Semi structured interviews of six registered nurses. A questionnaire to 69 registered nurses. An electronic questionnaire sent to 23 members of the MDT. An observational audit of seven ward rounds reviewing 69 patients. Results: 97% of nurses agreed that verbal summarizing had improved clarity and 90% felt that it had improved patient care. 87% of the MDT respondents stated that they had noticed an improvement in the attendance of the bedside nurse at the ward round review. The ward round checklist reduced omissions. Communication with patients during ward rounds was an area which needed to be improved. Conclusions: The introduction of a new ward round approach and audit of its practice has enabled an improvement in the quality of patient care by: Giving more opportunity for the nurse to participate and feel part of the ward round. Reduction of omissions through the use of a ward round checklist. Improved clarity among the MDT by the use of bedside nurse verbal summarizing of the plan of care. Relevance to clinical practice: Nurses' full participation in ward rounds is essential to ensure effective communication and enhance patient safety.