Intentional Rounding - Student Perspectives: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Intentional rounding is a practice currently utilised in many health services across NSW health and beyond, as a means of anticipating and predicting care needs, and ensuring patient safety and satisfaction. Many areas formalise this intervention by way of checklists and tick boxes to prompt and remind, and to ensure that patients are being regularly checked on. Student nurses are often part of this practice whilst on clinical placement, but do not always have the education and understanding behind such a practice. Rather, they are either told to go and do it, or are not involved. Methods: A multisite cross-sectional study was conducted to understand pre-registration nursing students’ perceptions and exposure to the practice, in an effort to see where improvements could be made. A previously tested survey was distributed to students from 5 different universities across Australia. Results: Students found intentional rounding on the whole to be a positive experience and felt that it enhanced their organisation and communication skills if they were involved. There was however a deficit in education surrounding intentional rounding for pre-registration students from both the university and clinical sectors. Students’ perceptions were influenced by their previous experience, role modelling practices of their mentor/ buddy nurses, and their level of confidence. This has future implications on the way that we educate and involve our student nurses, so that they can carry on this and other interventions successfully.