Patient satisfaction and patient safety are top priorities for Marlboro Park Hospital. In order to better serve our patients and meet these priorities, we have implemented Hourly Rounding on our Medical/Surgical and Women and Children’s Center.

Hospitalized patients often require assistance with basic self care needs, such as eating, reaching bedside objects, repositioning themselves, and ambulating to the bathroom. These needs are generally communicated through using the call bell system. Based upon a study sponsored by the Studer Group, staff members are called into each patient’s room 12 to 15 times each day for non-urgent requests. Each response averages in at least 4 minutes of time, resulting in an average of 48 to 60 minutes per patient each day that is spent answering call lights for routine matters.

A patient’s level of satisfaction during their hospital stay is based upon their perception of how quickly the staff responds to their call and how well the staff was able to meet their needs, along with the staff’s ability to foster a relationship with the patient. This can be obtained through a process called “Hourly Rounding”. Throughout the day, a staff member rounds on the patient every hour and every other hour at night. During these rounds, the staff performs any scheduled tasks and checks the three “P’s”: pain, potty and positioning. Before leaving the room, the staff also checks the environment to make sure the patient has everything they should need within their reach and informs the patient they will be followed up on in about an hour. According to a study reported in the American Journal of Nursing (September 2006), using hourly rounding reduces call light usage, increases patient satisfaction, and improves patient safety by decreasing the frequency of patient falls.

The staff at Marlboro Park Hospital is committed to patient satisfaction and patient safety. Hourly Rounding is just one of the many processes we have in place to better our community.

Anita Crawford RNC MSN
Chief Nursing Officer