Nurse Rounding

We (nursing committee) created our own rounding sheets where activities you check for are pre-printed. When we round, all you do is check what you have done and initial. Those sheets are hung at midnight in every room and stay there all day.

When we first got started,we included hourly rounding as an annual nursing competency and worked with nurses in the sim lab on this as well.

Since last year, we have also included all other departments into doing rounds, radiology, respiratory, pt, or who ever is with the patient at that time. That required more training but at the end the patient benefited from that. We have been doing hourly rounds for 2 years now. It has been a culture change.

I'm a PCT and we are responsible for the four p's.

Ours are Pain, position, personal needs and....something else with a P.

We do not have to fill out the p's, just sign each hour.

Unfortunately it is silly (IMO), because our unit has amazing staff : patient ratios, so I am always in my patients rooms multiple times per hour.

We are about to start nurse rounding - Every hour see patients and ask about Pain, Possessions, Personal Needs and their Position. Have the rehab nurses out there had positive or negative experiences with the program. Any ideas how to make it work. In advance I thank you for your input

I guess once the patients are done with their therapy for the day it would be feasible. I had a two hour span today where I only saw my patients working with their therapist because that is how their schedules were. I don't interrupt therapy sessions to ask about possessions, needs, and position (the therapists are more than capable of addressing the last two) and if the patient is in pain, the therapist lets me know so I can take care of that.

Pain, personal needs, and position are self-evident, but what does the hourly "possessions" check entail?

Thank you for your feedback - very helpful. In answer to Spring Peeper - "possession" check entails making sure every thing is in reach ie Iphone, call bell, drink, tv controller, IPAD etc Things that may make them fall.

Thanks for the explanation, Rehabme. I'm starting my first rehab night shift tonight (just shadowing tonight), and I was curious. I don't know if the four Ps are part of our program, but I'll find out soon!