Ward nurses' perceptions of clinical trigger questions

This service evaluation was conducted in three acute hospitals to ascertain ward nurses' thoughts on clinical trigger questions used to identify sick patients.

Trigger questions were added to early warning scoring systems to help nurses identify and hand over sick patients. After the questions were introduced, all nurses (n = 633) working in acute wards of three district general hospitals were sent an anonymous questionnaire. Analysis was completed using descriptive statistics.

The response rate was 61.4% (n = 389). Most (56.9%) respondents thought the questions changed their perception of what makes a patient at risk of deterioration, 85.7% thought they helped identify sick patients and 87.5% thought they improved referral.

Nurses felt clinical trigger questions helped them identify ill patients. Such questions could be used as a clinical framework for escalation and referral, and to support ward staff in identifying patients whose health is deteriorating.