hourly rounding and fall precaution
Hourly Rounding & Fall Precaution Falls are a common occurrence among medical, surgical and elderly patients in hospitals. One of the largest categories of reported adverse events in hospitals are patient falls, which are estimated to cost more than $20 billion a year. (2010 Lippincott Williams &Wilkins, Inc.)
Prevention is the best method to decrease the number of falls and reduce hospital cost and increase patient satisfaction. One of the best ways to prevent falls is patient hourly rounding. Hourly rounding means intentionally checking on patients at regular intervals continuously to ensure patients’ needs has been met. Attending to patients’ comfort, safety, and environmental needs may prevent adverse events like falls and contribute to patients’ satisfaction.
There is study which evaluates the effectiveness of hourly rounding to reduce the rate of falls. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hourly rounding on fall rates and patient satisfaction in patients.
Methods:
MEDLINE and CINAHL were the search engines. Key search words were hourly/patient rounding, falls, call lights, and patient satisfaction ( Margo A 2009). Evaluations were conducted in all hospital units, telemetry, medical/surgical and orthopedic. Reports were retrieved .In 5 of 6 studies (83%) that examined use of call lights, the use was reduced. (Meade C 2006) reported that nurses were summoned 12 to 15 times daily to respond to non-urgent needs such as toileting, positioning, or pain relief. By nurses’ anticipating these needs through making rounds, patient care may be interrupted less with non-urgent calls. Fall rates were reduced in 7 of 9 studies (77%) in which falls were evaluated. In one study, (Kalman M 2008) making rounds did not affect the rate of falls, and in another study ((Bourgault A 2008) the rate of falls increased . Other studies uncovered less use of
Prevention is the best method to decrease the number of falls and reduce hospital cost and increase patient satisfaction. One of the best ways to prevent falls is patient hourly rounding. Hourly rounding means intentionally checking on patients at regular intervals continuously to ensure patients’ needs has been met. Attending to patients’ comfort, safety, and environmental needs may prevent adverse events like falls and contribute to patients’ satisfaction.
There is study which evaluates the effectiveness of hourly rounding to reduce the rate of falls. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hourly rounding on fall rates and patient satisfaction in patients.
Methods:
MEDLINE and CINAHL were the search engines. Key search words were hourly/patient rounding, falls, call lights, and patient satisfaction ( Margo A 2009). Evaluations were conducted in all hospital units, telemetry, medical/surgical and orthopedic. Reports were retrieved .In 5 of 6 studies (83%) that examined use of call lights, the use was reduced. (Meade C 2006) reported that nurses were summoned 12 to 15 times daily to respond to non-urgent needs such as toileting, positioning, or pain relief. By nurses’ anticipating these needs through making rounds, patient care may be interrupted less with non-urgent calls. Fall rates were reduced in 7 of 9 studies (77%) in which falls were evaluated. In one study, (Kalman M 2008) making rounds did not affect the rate of falls, and in another study ((Bourgault A 2008) the rate of falls increased . Other studies uncovered less use of