This paper examines five quantitative studies to answer a central research question: can hourly rounding by nurses eliminate excessive call bell use, reduce patient falls, and increase patient satisfaction? Each article is summarized in terms of its design, sample, intervention protocol, and findings. The studies range from small pilot trials to large multi-hospital quasi-experiments conducted in the United States and Australia. Most findings support hourly rounding as a beneficial practice, with reported reductions in call light use and patient falls, along with modest improvements in satisfaction scores. The paper concludes that while the evidence is encouraging, limitations such as small sample sizes and non-randomized designs prevent definitive conclusions, and more comprehensive research is needed.
This paper demonstrates structured comparative literature synthesis. Rather than summarizing sources in isolation, the student organizes each review around the same set of variables — call light use, patient falls, and patient satisfaction — allowing readers to track findings across studies. The consistent framework makes the eventual conclusion feel earned and grounded in the evidence rather than asserted arbitrarily.
The paper opens with a clearly stated research question, then proceeds through five article reviews in a sequential format. Each review covers study type, purpose, methodology, and results. A concluding section weighs the collective evidence, acknowledges limitations across the studies, and avoids overreaching claims. References follow APA format. The structure is well-suited to an undergraduate literature review or research synthesis assignment.
Can hourly rounding by nurses in hospitals and clinics eliminate patient use of call bells, reduce patient falls, and increase patient satisfaction? The following five articles are analyzed to answer this research question. All five are quantitative studies examining the effects of structured nurse rounding protocols on these three key outcomes.
Authors: Todd Olrich, Melanie Kalman, and Cindy Nigolian — Quantitative
This article reports a quasi-experimental study designed to determine how a rounding protocol affects three variables: patient falls, call light usage, and patient satisfaction. The study is based on the earlier work of Meade, Bursell, and Ketelsen (2006), and includes a detailed literature review showing how similar studies have been conducted previously.
The study was conducted by the medical-surgical clinical nurse specialist (CNS) staff of a 506-bed hospital in the northeastern United States. Two medical-surgical units of the same size and fall rates were selected — one as the experimental unit and one as the control. Data on patient falls, patient satisfaction, and call light usage were also collected from available sources before the intervention began. The sample included all patients discharged from the units during the one-year study period (N = 4,418).
The following data were collected: (1) number of falls and patient satisfaction levels for six months before the intervention and six months during the intervention; and (2) call light data collected two weeks before the study and four weeks during the intervention.
During the study, nurses performed hourly rounding from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., which included eight specific actions — greeting the patient, offering toileting assistance, checking the environment, and informing the patient of the next rounding time, among others. Nurse leaders also conducted rounds three times per week to verify that nurses were completing rounds and filling out log sheets correctly.
Different instruments were used to calculate results. Findings showed that hourly rounding positively affected all three variables: a 23% decrease was recorded in fall rates, and satisfaction scores improved slightly. However, call light usage did not show any statistically significant improvement. The limitations of the study include a non-randomized design and a small sample size. Researchers noted that greater accuracy and consistency in performing rounds and collecting data would be needed to produce more reliable results.
Author: B. Ford — Quantitative
This study is also inspired by the work of Meade, Bursell, and Ketelsen (2006) and aims to determine how a proactive hourly rounding strategy improves patient satisfaction. The introductory section explains that numerous studies have explored how patient satisfaction can be increased and how significant it is in the healthcare industry.
The study was conducted by staff at Baltimore Washington Medical Center (BWMC), a 311-bed facility affiliated with the University of Maryland Medical System. A specific set of actions was established for each rounding session, organized around four main areas designed to meet patient needs: pain, personal needs, positioning, and placement.
Call light log data was collected two weeks prior to rounding, and hourly rounding was then tested on an assigned sample of 51 patients over three weeks. Quantitative call light data were recorded during this period alongside rounding log data and follow-up phone surveys conducted within 48 hours of discharge. A random sample of patients who did not receive rounds was also monitored for call light use and included in the discharge phone survey.
Results showed a 52% decline in call light use following the implementation of hourly rounding, which helped free nurses to focus more fully on patient care. No falls were recorded during the three-week period, attributed to the high frequency of patient contact. Other outcome areas were not covered due to the brevity of the study.
The study concluded that hourly rounds help identify patient needs proactively and keep patients satisfied. Consistent hourly rounding was identified as a key factor in improving patient satisfaction and enhancing the safety and quality of care.
Healthcare, including nursing, involves deeply sensitive issues, and any conclusions drawn in this field have a real impact on people's lives. Therefore, it is not prudent to conclude from only five articles that nurse rounding definitively produces positive effects on patient satisfaction, call bell elimination, and patient falls. Nevertheless, most of the articles reviewed support the view that nurse rounding does help address patient needs proactively, and that nurses gain more time to focus on patient care and develop a fuller understanding of individual patient problems.
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