What does purposeful or hourly rounding aim to improve?

Purposeful or hourly rounding is a structured approach where healthcare staff regularly check on patients at set intervals. The primary aim of this practice is to enhance patient experience and communication. By performing rounds, nurses can consistently engage with patients, address their needs promptly, and provide reassurance. This proactive approach allows for better assessment of patient conditions, quicker response times to requests, and reduces feelings of anxiety or abandonment that patients might feel during their stay. Improved communication is vital in fostering trust between patients and healthcare providers, which ultimately leads to higher patient satisfaction scores.

While rounding may have additional benefits in other areas, such as indirectly influencing staff morale or operational efficiency, the core objective remains anchored in enhancing the patient experience. This connection is supported by research, which indicates that structured rounding can lead to improvements in both patient outcomes and experience.