Browse the corpus

Interprofessional rounds in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting allow for scheduled discussions among various healthcare providers to review and discuss clinical information and develop concise care plans for critically ill patients. Rounding as a unit allows for each discipline of the healthcare team to address their goals, issues, and concerns. In addition, they give specialized input to the daily care plan. This specialty-specific input may not be readily apparent to another specialty. The primary value of this design for team-focused rounding allows for efficient and transparent lines of direct communication between team members. Consequently, this reduces the negative impact of delays or misunderstandings in communication. Communication failure among health care providers is one of the most frequently cited causes of preventable harm to patients.[1]

While there is no single optimal structure, the consolidation of all team members for interprofessional rounds that occur at a set time on a regular schedule is considered best practice. Standardization of start time improves rounding effectiveness by facilitating greater participation among team members as they know when they will be needed. Rounds should emphasize a systematic, coordinated approach to patient data presentation, the formation, and documentation of medical therapy plans, the order of team member input, and a summary of overall goals of care for the day. In many ICUs, rounds occur each morning to establish the daily plan of care and allow the providers, including nurses and pharmacists, to work as a team to provide patient and family education, coordinate care, and monitor the patient's progress. A coordinated interprofessional team effort will lead to the best outcomes. [Level 5]