Sustaining Nursing Grand Rounds Through Interdisciplinary Teamwork and Interorganizational Partnership.

Abstract

: In 2017, Navy Nurse Corps executives launched a new nursing professional practice model that promotes operational readiness, professional development, and transformational leadership. This directive prompted nursing leadership at Naval Hospital Jacksonville (NH JAX) to conduct a needs assessment survey to determine what kind of educational initiative nursing staff members would most welcome in support of the goals of the new practice model. Survey respondents favored case studies presented in a nursing grand rounds format. Our change implementation team designed and executed the grand rounds program, offering lunchtime presentations every other month. Topics included a wide range of "high-risk/low-volume" procedures-those infrequently performed at participants' clinical sites. Ten months after the initiation of grand rounds, surveys were distributed to NH JAX participants to assess their perceptions of the value of the sessions in terms of professional development, interdisciplinary teamwork, and strengthened institutional partnerships.Of the 161 nursing grand rounds participants, 41 (25%) responded to the postimplementation survey. Responses indicated that participants valued nursing grand rounds in enhancing clinical knowledge (83% agreed), discussing research and evidence-based practices (71% agreed), supporting professional development (88% agreed), improving interdisciplinary teamwork (83% agreed), and solidifying interorganizational partnerships (73% agreed). This article presents the implementation of the NH JAX grand rounds program and demonstrates how nursing grand rounds can serve as an excellent forum in which to develop knowledge, showcase research and evidence-based practices, support professional growth, improve collaboration, and strengthen partnerships.