Current research suggests that hourly rounds on hospitalized patients may be associated with improvements in care delivery and in the patients' perception of care, as well as a reduction in patient safety events. Implementing an hourly rounding protocol involves a major change in nursing staff workflow and a substantial training and education program to ensure the success of the program. This quasi-experimental study aimed to determine if a standardized hourly rounding process (SHaRP), implemented through a formal education program, would result in improved efficiency, quality, safety, and patient satisfaction metrics when compared to a less standardized process introduced through the traditional train-the-trainer method. Data were collected over a 6-month period and results were trended for an additional 6 months later to determine if significant gains were sustained over time. Significant reductions in call light use during the study period (p = .001) and the number of steps taken by the day-shift staff (p = .02) were seen on the intervention unit. Differences in the number of patient falls, 30-day readmission rates, and patients' perception of care were not statistically significant.
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