title: Advanced practice nurses making a difference: implementation of a formal rounding process.
abstract: There has been growing concern for many years over the impending shortage of trauma surgeons due to attrition and the lack of residents choosing the trauma surgical specialty area. Along with this concern, trauma admissions continue to increase and many trauma services are merging with acute care surgery, increasing the overall service line volume. Adding to the burden is the 80-hour workweek residency requirement. Trauma centers are faced with gaps in patient coverage, placing the need for midlevel practitioners in high demand. This article discusses (1) the utilization of advanced practice nurses on a trauma and acute care surgery service and (2) how the implementation of a formal rounding process improves nursing and physician satisfaction as well as length of stay.
authors.affiliation: Christiana Care Health System-Christiana Hospital, Newark, Delaware 19718, USA. dmower-wade@christianacare.org
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mower-Wade
authors.forename: Joan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pirrung
mesh_terms: D057179:Advanced Practice Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003691:Delaware; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D056164:Teaching Rounds / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*