The frequency of nurse rounding can significantly affect hospitals' patient experience performance, though preferences still vary by unit and patient type, according to a June 26 report from Press Ganey.
The organization analyzed experience data on 6.5 million patient encounters from more than 2,000 health systems and 490,000 medical office sites nationwide.
Four findings:
1. On average, hourly nurse rounding was linked to a 19.4-point increase in hospitals' "likelihood to recommend score" as measured by HCAHPS.
2. Nearly 82% of patients were likely to recommend their hospital when nurses rounded every hour. This figure fell to 73.2% when nurses rounded every two hours and just 41.8% when nurses only rounded a couple of times.
3. Frequency of rounding influenced patient experience across all age groups, though the most pronounced effect was seen among adults ages 50 to 64, the data shows. Eighty-two percent of patients in this age group were likely to recommend the hospital when nurses rounded every hour, compared to just 57.1% when nurses rounded less often.
4. Still, not every patient needs or wants hourly rounding, according to Press Ganey. Obstetrics patients may find regular rounding disruptive, while such frequency may be necessary for telemetry and intensive care unit patients.
"To be truly effective, it's important to predict and prioritize where rounding will be most meaningful and make the biggest impact," the organization said.
View the full report here.