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Learn MoreBy Susan Wessel, RN, MS, MBA, NEA-BC ; Consultant, Creative Healthcare Management
Patient rounds can have unexpected benefits when a few simple techniques are followed. Over time, as I began to refine my approach, I got better results: I noticed that patients became reassured and felt safer, I got meaningful staff compliments, and I learned useful ideas to make care even better because patients felt more comfortable sharing.
I invite you to try these simple strategies for patient or family rounds. They work for executives, managers, supervisors, or those in charge of a shift.
Respectful Entry
Knock on the door or door frame before entering the room. Sometimes you might ask the nurse in advance whether the patient is stable enough for a visitor depending on the situation. Once you enter the room, greet the patient (and/or family) by name and introduce yourself using your title. Patients like knowing that they are important enough to have a visit by someone in a leadership role. Finally, ask the patient if this is a convenient time for a brief conversation about how things are going. Be prepared to come back at another time if that is the patient’s preference.
Sitting at Eye Level
Sitting at eye level is a powerful caring behavior that is well documented to convey that you have time to listen, that you care, and that you are seeing the patient and family as equals in the conversation. It’s worth the time to find a side chair if one is not free in the room. I have also found that taking notes reinforces that you are listening and want to remember.
Start With an Appreciative Question
I have learned the value of appreciative questions in uncovering lovely examples of what is helping patients and families to feel safe and well cared for. These are questions that are worded such that the patient shares something positive. Appreciative questions follow the philosophy of Appreciative Inquiry, and are a powerful way to learn what is going well, and which staff members have provided care that has made a positive difference. I suggest starting every meeting with a patient or family with an appreciative question. Here are some of my favorites:
Ask the “Improvement” Question So that it’s Safe to Answer
After interviewing many patients after discharge, it became apparent to me how rarely they share the truth (if the truth reflects some kind of dissatisfaction) while they are still within our care. The fear of retribution is just too strong. This can never be completely overcome, and yet if the stage is set in an intentional way, we can uncover ways to improve care while patients are still within our organization.
When you are in a seated conversation and have built some trust, the patient is more likely to believe that you really want to know the truth. They won’t be as likely to give us the “fine” answer because they perceive that’s all we want to hear. Consider using an introductory sentence about your desire to provide the best care. Then ask the question using “even better” phrasing. Here is what tends to work for me.
“We take a lot of pride in our care, and we are always working hard to improve. Could you share with me what we could do to make your care even better? That would be very helpful.”
When patients offer concrete suggestions, thank them. It may also be appropriate to apologize if something did not happen the way it should have. If it’s realistic to solve the issue immediately, let the patient know. Otherwise your commitment may be to work on the problem for future patients, perhaps taking it to the right group or person.
Bring the conversation to a respectful conclusion, thanking them for their time. You can promise to pass on compliments you received in addition to following up on suggestions. In some situations, particularly if you are the first line manager, you might leave a card with your name and contact information.
The vast majority of time making rounds leaves me feeling proud and inspired about the quality of care, and I love passing on the compliments I’ve received.
As a consultant at Creative Health Care Management, Susan partners with hospitals to improve patient care through the design and implementation of Relationship-Based Care. She develops leadership teams to build trust, collaboration, and personal accountability. She also specializes in creating an engaged workforce and building professional practice environments consistent with Magnet® Recognition criteria.
HealthStream’s learning management system and healthcare training solutions support medical training initiatives and allow for the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceBe confident in your staff’s ability to reduce risk by providing compliance training that changes behavior.
View All ProductsDevelop next-level people for next-level care by prioritizing quality and safety improvements.
View All ProductsEstablish a culture of belonging with education supporting DEI, wellness, engagement, and leadership development.
View All ProductsUtilize patient access solutions and advanced reimbursement solutions to manage clinical denials and improve your organization’s reimbursement strategy.
View All ReimbursementExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ProductsOur competency development solutions personalize learning for clinicians to bridge the gap between theory and practice for your nurse residents.
View All ProductsEnhance maternal & child nursing care with solutions focused on improving the quality of care for mothers, infants, and children.
View All ProductsAddress staffing orientation challenges to easily achieve and maintain certification with our emergency and acute care training solutions.
View All ProductsAs a premier provider of healthcare education, we are committed to promoting safer, more successful surgical and sedation outcomes for each and every patient.
View All ProductsOur solutions are designed to cater to the needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and organizations dealing with illnesses or chronic conditions.
View All ProductsMake sure your healthcare staff can schedule out appointments and work schedules with ease using HealthStream's line of software solutions.
View All SchedulingHealthcare workforce management is essential. We provide advanced scheduling solutions for organizations to solve issues such as nurse retention
View All ProductsComprehensive, industry-leading provider onboarding and credentialing software that validate health outcomes and support provider assessment.
View All CredentialingOur affordable CVO credentialing services establish patient safety by enabling primary source verification for your healthcare organization.
View All ProductsIntegrate with Epic to validate and add new providers directly to your provider master file.
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