A family-centered rounds checklist, family engagement, and patient safety

In a recent randomized clinical trial led by Dr. Elizabeth Cox, implementing a checklist during family-centered rounds increased family engagement and the safety of hospitalized children from the perspective of the families. The checklist was developed with input from the hospital staff and families of hospitalized children, and two items were found to significantly increase family engagement: when hospital staff read back orders, families engaged in more decision-making and provided more information, and families were also more engaged when the team talked about goals for discharge. The materials needed to implement the family-centered rounds checklist in are available in a free toolkit here.