Developing the recognition and response skills of student nurses

Acute deteriorations in health occur in all healthcare settings. Every health professional must therefore have the knowledge and skills to recognise and respond effectively to acute illness, in order to avert further deterioration. It is widely acknowledged that a robust understanding of physiological observations, in addition to effective interpretation and clinical decision-making skills, is required for this task (Odell et al, 2009; Steen, 2010). A significant amount of work has been undertaken in one higher education institution (HEI) to ensure that theoretical preparation adequately equips nurses for this aspect of their role. However, it would appear from this evaluative study that some barriers may exist that prevent this essential theoretical knowledge from being embedded into clinical practice. This gap in transformational knowledge is important to highlight as there is an increasingly urgent need for these skills if acutely ill patients are to be successfully rescued (The National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD), 2005; 2009; 2012; National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), 2007 Department of Health (DH), 2009). The dissolution of barriers that prevent the development of effective recognition and response skills is an important task for all those involved in acute care education, in both HEI and clinical settings.