Hourly Nurse Rounding: Reducing Falls, Call Lights, and Pressure Ulcers
This literature review examines five peer-reviewed studies to determine whether hourly nurse rounding effectively reduces patient falls, call light use, and pressure ulcer incidence while improving patient satisfaction. Drawing on integrative reviews, quantitative pilot studies, and experimental designs, the paper synthesizes findings from Hicks (2015), Ford (2010), Hodgson (2012), Saleh et al. (2011), and Tucker et al. (2011). Results consistently demonstrate that structured hourly rounding reduces fall rates by 50–60%, decreases call light use by more than 50%, and lowers pressure ulcer incidence by up to 56%. The review also identifies a gap in the literature regarding pressure ulcer reduction specifically and calls for further evidence-based practice research in this area.
- Introduction and Background: Defines hourly rounding and its clinical rationale
- Hicks (2015): Hourly Rounding and Fall Reduction: Integrative review links rounding to fewer falls
- Ford (2010): Patient Satisfaction and Call Light Use: Pilot study shows call light and ulcer reductions
- Hodgson (2012), Saleh et al. (2011), and Tucker et al. (2011): Additional Evidence: Three studies confirm fall and pressure ulcer benefits
- Conclusion and Gaps in the Literature: Synthesis identifies pressure ulcer research gap
- Literature Review Summary Table: Cross-study comparison of designs and findings
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What makes this paper effective
- Synthesizes five peer-reviewed sources systematically, presenting each study's design, methodology, and findings in a consistent structure that makes comparison easy.
- Includes a well-organized summary table that maps each study to its design type, theoretical framework, setting, key variables, findings, and hierarchy of evidence level.
- Closes with a clearly stated gap in the literature — insufficient evidence on hourly rounding and pressure ulcer reduction — giving the review a forward-looking research purpose.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates integrative literature review methodology, drawing on both quantitative experimental studies and integrative reviews to build a converging evidence base. By comparing independent studies across different settings and patient populations, it shows how synthesis of existing research can reveal consistent patterns — and important absences — in nursing practice evidence.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a background paragraph framing the clinical problem, then devotes a section to each of the five reviewed studies, covering research design, key concepts, and findings in sequence. A conclusion synthesizes themes and names the evidence gap. The summary table at the end consolidates all five studies for quick cross-reference, reinforcing the analytical narrative in the body.
Introduction and Background
This literature review investigates whether hourly rounding can reduce pressure ulcers, patient falls, and call light use, and whether it contributes to an overall increase in patient satisfaction. The outcomes of the review help identify existing gaps in the literature on this topic.
Nursing practice has increasingly turned to structured interventions like hourly rounding as a proactive approach to patient safety. Falls are a critical problem within healthcare organizations and represent a leading cause of injury-related deaths among older adults. More than 20% of people who fall suffer moderate-to-severe injuries, such as head trauma, bruises, or hip fractures (Hicks, 2015, p. 51). In 2000, the costs of managing fall-related injuries exceeded $19 billion, a figure projected to surpass $54 billion by 2020. Hourly rounding — which involves checking patients at regular intervals to meet their needs proactively — has been identified as an effective strategy for reducing patient falls and improving overall safety.
Hicks (2015): Hourly Rounding and Fall Reduction
Hicks (2015), in "Can Rounding Reduce Patient Falls in Acute Care? An Integrative Literature Review," defines a fall as an unexpected descent from a sitting, standing, or supine position. The study uses an integrative review design, which summarizes the outcomes of multiple independent studies to determine the current knowledge guiding nursing practice. The author searched research articles published between 2009 and 2014 using key concepts including nursing hourly rounds, fall prevention, and hospital. Data analysis involved reading articles multiple times to identify similarities, differences, and patterns among the selected studies.
Hicks (2015) synthesized 14 articles and found that hourly rounding is an effective tool for reducing patient falls. Some of the reviewed articles showed that 50% of falls were recorded within four weeks of implementing hourly rounding. Furthermore, "falls decreased from 4.001 to 2.613 per 1,000 patient days" (Hicks, 2015, p. 52). These findings position hourly rounding as an autonomous nursing intervention that supports patient safety by addressing the circumstances that commonly lead to falls.
References
Ford, M.B. (2010). Hourly rounding: A strategy to improve patient satisfaction scores. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(3), 188–191.
Hicks, D. (2015). Can rounding reduce patient falls in acute care? An integrative literature review. MEDSURG Nursing, 24(1), 51–55.
Hodgson, G.L.L. (2012). Hourly rounding in a high dependency unit. Nursing Standard / RCN, 27(8), 35–40.
Saleh, B.S., Nusair, H., Zubadi, N.A., et al. (2011). The nursing rounds system: Effect on patient's call light use, bed sores, falls, and satisfaction level. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 17, 299–303.
Tucker, S.J., Bieber, P.L., Attlesey-Pries, J.M., et al. (2011). Outcomes and challenges in implementing hourly rounds to reduce falls in orthopedic units. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 18–29.
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