Does anyone else out there do "walking rounds"?

semstr · Oct 8, 2001

Hi,

We only do walking-rounds, the report is in front of the patients (well some things are said outside their rooms of course).

That is the reason that our shifts overlap each other by 1/2 hour, so nobody needs overhours or has to come earlier. (That used to be the case, but the union changed that)

I like it that way, you see the patients and they can react straight away to the nurses. Also as the sister on the ward I can check everything on the "scene"

Take care, Renee

nur20 · Oct 9, 2001

I LOVE IT !!!! WALKING ROUNDS IS REALLY THE BEST WAY TO GO IN MY HUMBLE OPINION. THERE'S NO GUESSWORK OR WONDERING. I HAVE RECEIVED PATIENTS WITH PROBEMS I WASN'T TOLD ABOUT IN REPORT. I HAVE EVEN RECEIVED EXPIRED PATIENTS.THAT IS WHY I LIKE WALKING ROUNDS.HATS OFF TO WHOMEVER FACILITATED THAT IDEA !!!!!!!! VISIT MY WEBSITE

CATHYW · Oct 9, 2001

I like walking rounds, hands down, compared to taped report. Things can change so quickly that a taped report can be outdated by the time you hear it. Plus, in the time it takes to sit and listen to it, you could be walking through your assignment, eyeballing your patients.

This is a huge benefit if you are following a nurse who leaves their piggybacks for you to hang, or "forgets" to empty foleys, suction canisters, etc. If you are both doing walking rounds, it is awfully difficult to look somebody in the eye and say that you want them to do your work!

Also, it is an icebreaker with new pts.-the nurse going off can introduce you.

Sometimes, physically entering a patient's room will jog something in your memory that might otherwise have been forgotten in report. If there is a special kind of dressing change, or something of that nature, it is helpful to know how things have been being done, and whether you have enough supplies on hand.

Just call me a fan of walking rounds!

h vigliotti · Oct 10, 2001

oh lordy lordy! park your foot up the rear of the genius that decided that was a good idea. so..you're outside the room with your colleage...mr. bed a, blah blah blah...now mr. bed b 46, lymphoma and aids receiving this chemo and we stuck our fingers up the butt for a bowel program...i don't mean to be so graphic here, but bed a gets to hear all of this. one of my last traveling assignments in ca, we did walking rounds. 10 out of 10 travelers agreed this is a breech of pt confidentiallity. i don't care how discreet you try to be about it. its bogus fugidabodit. i really hate walking rounds. good luck

Originally posted by kaknurse
Ok, just last week the hospital decided that in addition to taping report that we are now to do "walking rounds" with the nurse that is relieving us.

I work on a 30 bed medical telemetry/respiratory unit. I also work night shift. I think that this just seems a bit ridiculous as now I have to do walking rounds with up to 3 different RN's AFTER they have already listened to report!

So, rather than getting to clock out at 7:23 am, I am now clocking out at 7:43 am. This is holding me up about 20 minutes. And anything after 7:37 am is considered overtime. Well, they better be paying us for this!!

Now walking rounds would be sensible if I worked in an ICU setting but doing walking rounds with other nurses on 8 patients is just plain silly to me.

Let me know what your opinions are.

Thanks,

Kelly:( :)

rdhdnrs · Oct 10, 2001

I work on OB so it's a little different, but the way we do report is that the charge nurses have report first, very briefly, and then assign the patients. When we get our patient assignment we go to that room and get report outside the door. The the offgoing nurse usually introduces the incoming nurse to the pt. Works well for us. It avoids the chit-chat in report that often takes so long.