Rounds Address Question: “Why Are We Doing This?”
The Thoracic Intensive Care Unit is putting care providers on the same page about why a patient receives a certain treatment with a new kind of rounds. The “Why Are We Doing This?” Rounds began almost two years ago as the result of an ethics consultation.
“These important rounds really draw on the strength of the team approach to patient care in the critical care unit,” said David Sugarbaker, MD, chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery. “The concept is to continue to try to keep in alignment the perspectives of all those involved in the care of a patient.”
The rounds, usually held monthly, are facilitated by a member of the Ethics Service, and can be requested by a nurse, physician, social worker or chaplain—anyone involved with the patient who questions the course of treatment.
Disagreements, for example, may stem from the fact that different members of the team have different interactions and conversations with the patient and family, which may cause questioning of whether the treatment is right for the patient.
By providing a forum for the care team to voice their perspectives, the rounds go a long way in promoting teamwork.
“It can be challenging to maintain conversation among members of the treatment team when there is disagreement about what’s good or what’s right for the patient,” said Martha Jurchak, PhD, RN, director of the Ethics Service. “These rounds reframe conversations and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard.”