Evaluation of matron ward rounds to enhance patient experience and improve staff morale
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Evaluation of matron ward rounds to enhance patient experience and improve staff morale

Debbie Mennim Lecturer, Sexual and reproductive health, Faculty of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, England
Charlotte Moen Senior lecturer, Faculty of Health and Social Care, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, England

Intentional rounding was introduced in the UK in 2012 to improve direct nursing care. Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust (LWFT) introduced intentional nursing rounds, called comfort rounds, in 2013. These are carried out and documented by nursing staff who check the patients in their care every two hours, particularly in relation to pain management, nutritional needs, hygiene and toilet needs, and overall comfort.

In September 2015, LWFT introduced daily matron ward rounds (MWRs) following a directive from the trust’s chief executive to provide assurance that comfort rounds were completed and that patient feedback was acted on in a timely manner. This article presents findings from an evaluation of the initiative and describes how daily MWRs improve patient experience and staff morale but are resource intensive. Further qualitative research of their effect on staff morale and well-being, as well as patient experience, is recommended.

Nursing Management. doi: 10.7748/nm.2018.e1762

Citation

Mennim D, Moen C (2018) Evaluation of matron ward rounds to enhance patient experience and improve staff morale. Nursing Management. doi: 10.7748/nm.2018.e1762

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

DMennim1@uclan.ac.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank staff at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust

Published online: 12 December 2018

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