title: Well rounded.
abstract: Team ward rounding is a time-honored practice. Trainees learn not only clinical aspects but also ethical values of patient care. Despite current emphases on the principles of professionalism and humanism in medicine, there remains little discussion about applying these principles to ward rounds. We believe that rounds can become classrooms for the intentional inculcation of professionalism and humanism as counterweights to unintentionally promulgated brusqueness, ambivalence, cynicism, and frustration. We gathered examples of "humanistic rounding" from various institutions that should stimulate discussion and illustrate that no specialized training is required to "humanize" rounds; rather, willingness and creativity are key ingredients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, and MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill 60637-1470, USA. jkirkpat@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
authors.forename: James N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Duffy
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003657:Decision Making; D017050:Episode of Care; D006126:Group Processes; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D010346:Patient Care Management; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010348:Patient Care Team; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011364:Professional Practice