Hourly Rounding

Hourly rounding is a standard of care that enhances patient safety and engages you regularly in your own care. A member of the health care team(nurse, personal support worker (PSW) or a therapist) will check in with you at least once an hour throughout the day.

What is the goal of Hourly Rounding?

• Involve you in your care and ensure your health care needs are met
• Make a commitment to you, our patient and families, that we will anticipate and meet your needs in a timely manner
• Standardize our approach to delivery of care
• Cluster care to promote efficiency each time a caregiver enters the room (i.e. we will ask if you need anything)
• Establish trust and caring by partnering with you, the patient

What will the team ask me?
When any member of the health care team is doing hourly rounding, they will ask about the following “5 P’s”:

• Pain
• Position
• Personal Needs
• Periphery/Possessions
• Pump (i.e. if you have any type of pump, the team will check it)

Asking you these questions throughout the day will ensure that your care needs are met and addressed. Any member of the health care team can do hourly rounding and will report this rounding on the white board at your bedside.

The staff will let you know when they will return to check on you again. If you require assistance between hourly rounding, you can use your call bell to contact the nurses station and talk to someone about your needs.

Transfer of Accountability and Bedside Reporting

St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital has a vision to deliver an excellent patient care experience, in a safe and compassionate environment. Transfer of Accountability and Bedside Reporting is one step that we undertake with you to meet this vision.

What is Transfer of Accountability and Bedside Report?

• An exchange of information between nurses at the bedside regarding your plan of care. For example, the reason you are in hospital, medications, your recovery, etc. This will allow for continuity of care
• An opportunity for you to participate with the nurses in your own care

When will beside report occur? 
Twice each day at shift change; approximately 7AM and 7PM

Who is involved? 
You (patient) and your nurses.

What should I expect?  

• Nurses will introduce themselves to you
• Nurses will discuss the care you received, any changes in health status and anything that the nurse will need to know to provide you with safe, quality and timely care
• Nurses will ask if you wish to be involved in bedside reporting

How do we ensure your privacy?

• We will pull curtains between beds
• We will lower our voices during bedside report
• We will ensure that sensitive information is not shared at the bedside
• We will ask visitors to briefly step out, upon your request

Up and Dressed

You will be up and dressed each morning so that you can participate in activities throughout the day.

Laundry Services

Laundry services are not routinely available in hospital for patient clothing. Your family can assist with this or they can make arrangements for laundering of personal items. If you cannot make arrangements, staff may be able to assist on a short-term basis.

Smoke Free Facility

Our hospital is a smoke -free facility. If you require assistance with a smoking cessation aid or other form of support, please speak to your health care team.

Scent Free Environment

The hospital is a scent free environment so please do not wear perfumes, after-shave or bring scented flowers to the unit. Doing so could be harmful to other patients and staff.