Vital signs and early warning score monitoring: perceptions of clinical staff about current practices and introducing an electronic rapid response system

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study investigated clinical staff perceptions of learning about current monitoring practices and the planned introduction of an electronic system for patient monitoring. The aim of this research was to evaluate the perceptions of clinical staff (nurses and doctors) about the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the current state of the rapid response system (RRS) and how those strengths and weakness would be affected by introducing an electronic RRS. METHODS: This research applied a descriptive study methodology. Two detailed sessions on demonstration on the electronic RRS for measuring and recording vital signs and the electronic Early Warning System (EWS) were followed by two structured surveys administered through an online portal (SurveyMonkey) for nurses and doctors working at Taranaki District Health Board. The study was planned and conducted between October 2020 and May 2021 at Taranaki Base Hospital, New Plymouth, New Zealand. RESULTS: We found that the perceptions of clinical staff were a combination of key practice issues with current manual monitoring, expectations of improved visibility of vital sign charts, better communication between staff and thus improved patient care with the introduction of an electronic system. A majority (24, 60%) of nurses reported that, when called to assess deteriorating patients, the responders arrive at bedside within 5–30 min and an additional 11 (27%) said the responders arrive within 5 min. That is a collective 87% responder arrival within 30 min CONCLUSION: Staff believe that an electronic RRS could improve communication, speed up decision making and have a positive impact on patient outcomes.