Alterations to calling criteria for Between the Flags (an early warning system)

Area of Science:

• Clinical Medicine
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Early warning systems are crucial for detecting patient clinical deterioration.
• The Between the Flags system is used in New South Wales Health to monitor patients.
• Altering calling criteria during patient transfers requires clear understanding by medical staff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess junior medical staff knowledge regarding alterations to Between the Flags calling criteria.
• To evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on this knowledge.
• To improve patient safety by ensuring correct use of early warning systems.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement project was conducted.
• Baseline and post-implementation surveys of junior medical staff were administered.
• Education and training on alteration guidelines were provided.

Main Results:

• Baseline: 74% lacked education on alterations, 5% knew alteration duration.
• Post-training: 63% aware of guidelines, 50% knew alteration duration.
• Significant improvement in knowledge was observed after the intervention.

Conclusions:

• Education significantly improved junior medical staff knowledge of Between the Flags alteration guidelines.
• Enhanced understanding of alteration criteria and duration is vital for patient safety.
• Targeted training can effectively address knowledge gaps in clinical protocols.