The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) are calling for ward rounds to be made the cornerstone of patient care, and for a ‘concerted culture change’ with clinical staff, managers and hospital executives engaging with, and focusing on, improving the quality of ward rounds.
In a statement, the RCP and RCN commented that ward rounds have often been a neglected part of the planning and organisation of inpatient care. There remains considerable variation between hospitals in both how and why ward rounds are conducted, and their clinical importance to patients is often underestimated. They highlighted the value of ward rounds in coordinating care, pointing out that the information gained and shared is crucial to the ongoing care of the patient. RCP and RCN made the case that restoring the ward round is essential for patient safety, as well as building trust with patients. The recommendations include:
• Preparation for the ward round should include a pre-round briefing.
• Consultant-led ward rounds should be conducted in the morning to facilitate timely completion of tasks during the working day.
• A nurse should be present at every bedside as part of the ward round.
• Patients, carers and relatives should be provided with a ‘summary sheet’ clearly presenting information discussed in the ward round.
• Patients with dementia and learning disabilities should be supported as far as possible to make decisions about their care.
• Patients’ records should be kept centrally to promote effective communication and team-working.
• Ward-round teams should utilise locally adapted checklists to reduce omissions, improve patient safety and strengthen multidisciplinary communication.
