REDEFINING NURSE–PATIENT ROUNDS TO ADVANCE PATIENT-CENTERED CARE IN COMPREHENSIVE NURSING SERVICE WARDS

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by McGucket

Korea’s Comprehensive Nursing Service wards deliver 24-hour clinical and daily care without family presence, targeting reduced caregiver burden and equitable support. Older patients, including postoperative cases with high needs, reported gaps in voicing concerns, participating in decisions, and receiving emotional support. Although a “Happy Rounding” program existed, nurse surveys showed inconsistent practice caused by nonstandard criteria and uncertainty about its role. This study co-designed and piloted a ward-specific Double Happy Rounding Checklist with visual reminders and a structured patient experience process, improving nurse involvement and patient outcomes during a two-week implementation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background and Rationale

Study Aim and Approach

Pilot and Implementation Results

Impact and Future Work

1252 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.4182 REDESIGNING NURSE–PATIENT ROUNDS TO ADVANCE PATIENT-CENTERED CARE IN COMPREHENSIVE NURSING SERVICE WARDS Sooyoung Park1, Youngmi Lim2, Heekyung Kim2, Jungha Lee2, Soojin Roh2, Jiwon Kim2, Youngjun Yoo2, and Dojin Jeon2, 1. Samsung Medical Center, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 2. Samsung Medical Center, Gangnam-gu, Seoult’ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea Comprehensive Nursing Service wards in Korea provide 24-hour clinical and daily care by nurses and nurse assistants without family presence, aiming to reduce caregiver burden and ensure equitable care. However, among older patients—many postoperative with high treatment needs—patient experience surveys revealed gaps, including difficulty voicing concerns, limited participation in decisions, and insufficient emotional support. Although a “Happy Rounding” program—routine nurse–patient rounds to proactively identify needs—was in place, nurse surveys indicated inconsistent practice due to lack of standardized criteria, varied interpretations of rounding procedures, and uncertainty about its role in care. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a ward-specific Happy Rounding protocol to enhance proactive nursing and improve patient experience. Through team discussions among nurses, a ward-specific protocol was co-designed into the “Double Happy Rounding Checklist.” To enhance nurse engagement, we introduced ward-wide visual reminders and a patient experience process including bedtime pain checks, clear explanations of proceduresand medications, and consistent use of empathic language and active listening. A two-week pilot test with patients and nurses confirmed feasibility, guided refinements, and led to ward-wide adoption. Implementation improved nurse involvement and patient satisfaction. Patients reported that nurses listened more attentively (89.9→96.5), responded more promptly (88.9→97.2), explained procedures more clearly (87.0→97.9), and created a safer environment for raising concerns (80.1→94.3). In addition, 81.2% of nurses endorsed the necessity of Happy Rounding, reflecting strong acceptance. This innovation demonstrates that proactive, standardized rounding can strengthen trust, safeguard patient rights, and advance patient-centered care, with future work needed to sustain and scale its impact.

FAQs

What problem did the “Happy Rounding” program have before the protocol was redesigned?

Nurse surveys showed inconsistent rounding practice due to lack of standardized criteria, different interpretations of procedures, and uncertainty about its role in care.

What did the ward-specific intervention include?

It used a co-designed “Double Happy Rounding Checklist,” ward-wide visual reminders, and a structured patient experience process including bedtime pain checks and consistent empathic communication.

How did patients’ experience scores change after implementation?

Patients reported better listening, faster responses, clearer explanations of procedures, and a safer environment for raising concerns, with improvements across all reported items.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by McGucket