The role of the nurse in the medical ward round

Abstract

This research project aims to investigate nurses' and doctors' views about the ward round and the nurse's role in it. It is also intended to stimulate participants to think about the topic. Structured interviews and questionnaires for doctors and nurses respectively were formulated for data collection with the total population of registered nurses, senior assistants and consultants working in medical wards at Saint Luke's hospital being included in the main study. A small carried out to Identify flaws primarily the aim was to scale pilot study was with the methodology but test the tool for its' understandability and acceptability and to verify that the data collected was relevant to the purposes of the study. As a result of the pilot study, minor alterations to the tool were undertaken in preparation for the main study. A discussion of the literature review, proposed methodology and Pilot study are included with suggestions being made for additional research studies. The benefits of this special project were multiple including better understanding of the ward round, the nurses' role in it plus the power rituals involved. Better comprehension of various methodological formats and their application into practice was also promoted. However for further enrichment the study needs to be undertaken and further research studies related to the nurses' roles during the ward round and nursing roles in general are also recommended, as nursing needs to critically examine every thing it does to continue to develop and become a research based profession.