Implementation of Structured Nursing Leadership Rounding to Improve Hospital Policy Adherence

Variability in nursing policy compliance contributes to inconsistent clinical practice and compromises the delivery of standardized care. Limited leadership presence, support, and accountability have been identified as significant contributors to this practice gap. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project focused on educating nurse leaders about the importance and benefits of consistent unit-based leadership rounding as a strategy to support frontline nurses and reinforce policy adherence. A structured leadership rounding checklist was developed to guide purposeful, consistent check-ins with nursing staff, facilitating real-time support and identification of barriers to practice. Implementation of the checklist promoted increased leadership accessibility, improved communication, and reduced variability in rounding practices. These findings suggest that structured leadership rounding may serve as an effective, sustainable approach to enhancing nursing support, strengthening accountability, and improving consistency in organizational policy compliance and clinical practice.