Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2025
Setup and Execution of the Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Death Notification Curriculum
Published on: August 5, 2020
Ward-Based Staff Perspectives on Their Preparedness to Recognize Patient Deterioration: An Interpretive Description
1College of Nursing & Health Science, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
Background:
Despite an overall decline in serious adverse events in hospitalized patients, approximately one third of inpatient mortality continues to relate to adverse events impacting patients on general wards. The preparedness of nurses, midwives, and nursing assistants (collectively referred to as ward-based staff) to recognize patient deterioration is therefore seen as critical.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to explore ward-based staff perspectives regarding their preparedness to recognize patient deterioration.
Methods:
An interpretive description approach was utilized to interview 16 participants from a single-center regional hospital. The participants included nurses, midwives, and nursing assistants who worked exclusively on wards. The participants were purposely selected to complete semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using a six-step thematic analysis, and the study followed the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist.
Results:
Three main themes (with subthemes) were identified: (a) feeling prepared (experience, intuitive awareness, early warning systems), (b) promoting preparedness (multimodal education, debriefing, collegial support), and (c) being unprepared (undergraduate education, knowledge deficit, staffing related concerns, psychological response to incident, unforeseen barriers).
Conclusions/Implications For Practice:
The findings suggest strategies for increasing knowledge and confidence in all ward-based staff, allowing them to feel better prepared to recognize clinical deterioration. Moreover, based on the results, ward-based staff strongly perceive experience, clinical shortfalls in undergraduate education, collegial support networks, mentorship, psychological response to incidents, and multimodal education to be key contributors to preparedness.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:08Obedience
01:30Ethical Dilemmas II
01:27Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
01:28Current Trends in Nursing I
01:14SBAR II: Application of SBAR
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
01:19Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...