Rounding is practised widely in the NHS and nurses should understand its practice and value to patient care. Intentional rounds in the United States have been associated with a reduction in patient harm and increased patient and staff satisfaction. This article identifies the aims of rounding as a nursing intervention and details how rounding is performed. It examines the underlying principles that promote the delivery of safe and compassionate care. Rounding has the potential to improve nursing practice and the patients' experience of care. However, there are concerns that rounding does not have a justifiable evidence base. This article highlights inconsistences in the evidence base, challenging the assumptions about the benefits of rounding to patient care and offering an alternative perspective on the perceived benefits of rounding practice. Further research is required to identify the benefits of rounding practice to patient care and to demonstrate conclusively whether achieving the aims and principles of rounding will improve patient care.
Keywords: Compassionate care; falls; patient call bell use; patient safety; patient satisfaction; pressure ulcers; rounding; staff satisfaction.