Experiences and Needs of Core Participants in Surgical Ward Rounds: Qualitative Exploratory Study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare delivery research
• Patient engagement strategies
• Qualitative health research

Background:

• Surgical ward rounds (SWRs) traditionally involve limited participation from patients, families, and bedside nurses.
• Current SWRs often lack a collaborative, person-centered approach, despite potential benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences and needs of doctors, nurses, patients, and relatives during SWRs.
• To inform a participatory design process for improving SWRs.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative exploratory study utilizing ethnographic field studies.
• Focus groups with healthcare providers, patients, and relatives.
• Dyadic interviews during post-discharge home visits.
• Systematic text condensation for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Organizational issues, traditional roles, and cultural norms negatively impacted SWR quality, efficiency, and user experience.
• SWRs were often routine-driven, treatment-focused, and deprioritized compared to surgical tasks.
• Unpredictability led to unprepared participants and restricted involvement of nurses, patients, and relatives.

Conclusions:

• A significant gap exists between the structure of SWRs and the needs of key participants.
• Digital technologies are identified as a potential solution to address identified challenges in SWRs.