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3 Background: Factors previously shown to influence patient care include effective decision making, team work, evidence based practice, staffing and job satisfaction. Clinical rounds have the potential to optimise these factors and impact on patient outcomes, but use of this strategy by intensive care nurses has not been reported. Objectives: To determine the effect of implementing Nursing Rounds in the intensive care environment on patient care planning and nurses ’ perceptions of the practice environment and work satisfaction. Design: Pre-test post-test 2 group comparative design Settings: Two intensive care units in tertiary teaching hospitals in Australia. Participants: A convenience sample of registered nurses (n=244) working full time or part time in the participating intensive care units. Methods: Nurses in participating intensive care units were asked to complete the Practice Environment Scale- Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) and the Nursin