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Early warning system scores and response times: an audit
Author(s) -
Day Barbara A
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
nursing in critical care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.689
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1478-5153
pISSN - 1362-1017
DOI - 10.1046/j.1478-5153.2003.00026.x
Subject(s) - audit , warning system , early warning score , medicine , medical emergency , response time , emergency medicine , business , computer science , accounting , operating system , telecommunications
Summary • In response to NHS reforms within critical care, the surgical directorate of the Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust developed and introduced a modified early warning system (DMEWS) • Anecdotal evidence from nursing staff indicated that response times by doctors, when triggered by use of the DMEWS, were outside the established timescale • An audit was undertaken to determine the response times to calls for assistance triggered by use of the DMEWS and to identify any disparity between response times • The audit confirmed that whilst DMEWS triggered the nurses to initiate action for immediate treatment, response by members of the surgical teams was below the agreed standards • Further studies are planned to indicate whether longer response times have an adverse effect on patient welfare or outcome