Did you miss our Purposeful Rounding webinar on June 18th, featuring CipherHealth’s Clinical Services leaders Lisa Romano, Joy Avery, and Mariane Carna? You can still register to access the recording here. 

What makes a round purposeful, especially during COVID-19?

CipherHealth’s Chief Nursing Officer, Lisa Romano, opened the webinar by offering these insights on purposeful rounding:  

“Purposeful rounding allows the voice of the patient to be heard and considers patient preferences and social determinants as essential components in the patient’s plan of care. Critical next steps are determined based on what’s most important for the patient.”                – Lisa Romano, MSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, CipherHealth

Telephonic Rounding on Patients and Families

After reviewing the five key principles of purposeful rounding, Romano discussed how the COVID-19 environment has precipitated a shift to telephonic rounding. Telephonic rounding helps patients who may be isolated feel that they are not alone and that their needs are getting met. It also helps family members who may not be allowed to visit to get updated daily on their loved one’s condition and even speak with them via virtual tools. 

“While telephone rounding on patients and families started because of isolation protocols and limits to family  visitations, we might want to consider it as part of a core strategy after these limitations go away, as it could help to cover more ground or utilize staff that might be working from a virtual office or from
home,” Romano said. “It might be a very effective way to strengthen rounding programs, and in some cases this additional approach may even outlast the time of COVID-19.”      

        Telephonic Rounding for Patients         Telephonic Rounding for Families    

Staff Rounding 

Next, Mariane Carna talked about the importance of staff rounding to improve staff retention and wellness. 

“It’s not so much about the bottom line as much as it is about the morale of the staff.” – Mariane Carna, MSN, RN, VP, Clinical Services, CipherHealth 

Depending on the size of the organization, hospitals can stand to lose between $4 to $8 million annually on staff turnover and training costs. Staff retention therefore is critical – not just from a financial perspective, but also to form a culture in which employees are enthusiastic about their jobs and will serve as ambassadors for your organization. When employees are satisfied, this leads to a better patient experience. It also leads to referrals of other potential new staff members. 

“Leaders can build a rapport with their employees through staff rounding, and learn what’s important to them in their careers, tying back to their purpose and mission,” according to Carna.

Satisfied and Healthy Staff = Satisfied and Healthy Patients

Even more importantly, is the emotional and physical health of the employee. COVID-19 has challenged all healthcare staff in ways never seen before. Emphasizing staff wellness and screening for signs of PTSD is essential if we are to maintain a healthy and effective workforce. 

Location Rounding

Joy Avery discussed how hospitals must prepare their sites for the “perfect storm” of a COVID-19 resurgence, the upcoming flu season, and patients returning for elective procedures. Situational awareness is paramount as hospital leaders ensure overflow areas are identified and surge areas well-stocked. 

“Let’s keep your patients and staff safe by proactively monitoring infection prevention and surge preparedness protocols in real time.”
– Joy Avery, MSN, RN, VP Clinical Services, CipherHealth

Location rounding can help to identify and mitigate any barriers before we find ourselves in crisis mode again. Location rounding covers such questions as:

• Is your surge capacity plan in place?
• Do you have enough PPE?
• Have overflow areas been identified?
• Do you have enough equipment and supplies should a resurgence of COVID-19 occur?
• How can you safely return to elective procedures?

 The Need for a Discharge Round

Avery also spoke about one of the most important steps in the patient journey: the discharge process and how existing discharge challenges may be compounded by the complexities of COVID-19.

Some patients might find it difficult to get medications filled, or understand post-discharge instructions.  Additionally, strict hospital visitation policies and constrained staffing resources have widened the gap between providers and families at this crucial point in the patient journey. The recommended workflow below highlights key aspects of a discharge round:

“As we’re bracing for the next wave, every interaction with patients and families is an opportunity to educate and instill confidence in your organization,” Avery said.

As of this writing, the U.S. is seeing record-breaking average daily cases with COVID-19 rising in more than 30 states. Developing a comprehensive rounding approach that remains purposeful is more important than ever. Communication is the only way to ensure a safe and healthy experience for the patients we serve, their families, and the healthcare system. 

For more on how to round with purpose at your organization, access the complete webinar. 

And if you missed the first webinar in our Roadmap to Recovery series, “Communication Strategies to Maximize Revenue and Ensure Continuity of Care”,  access it here.