| Family-centered care (FCC) has been a concept in health care for many years. It is only more recently that it has been found to be associated with safety and quality of care (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2000). Collaboration among team members is also closely linked to safety for patients and staff satisfaction with care decisions. Consumers can now access a hospital's performance in several areas as they make decisions about where to seek health care. Consequently, hospitals are more accountable to the public and are looking for ways to deliver a higher quality of care. It is essential that patients and families become more involved in their care and that team members look for ways to become more collaborative. To accomplish this goal, daily interdisciplinary bedside rounds were successfully implemented in a 20-bed Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Parent perceptions as reported by Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) were compared pre- and post-implementation, and staff collaboration was measured using Baggs Collaboration and Satisfaction About Care Decisions (CSACD). The project revealed two things: (a) that parents want to be involved in care decisions and that bedside rounds is an excellent approach, and (b) that staff satisfaction with care decisions is enhanced by their ability to communicate with team members. |
