Results
Title

The role of the ward nurse in recognition and response to clinical deterioration: a scoping review.

Authors

Donnelly, Nikita; Fry, Margaret; Elliott, Rosalind; Merrick, Eamon

Abstract

Background: Nurses play a key role in the recognition and response to clinical deterioration. Aim: The aim of this scoping review was to explore, map and synthesise existing research related to the ward nurses' role in recognising and responding to clinical deterioration. Methods: A scoping review was undertaken to identify English only studies focused on the ward nurse's role in recognition and response to clinical deterioration of the hospitalised adult. Search terms included 'clinical deterioration', 'nurses', 'wards', 'general', 'hospital, units' and 'hospitals'. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, ProQuest and Science Direct databases were searched for eligible studies. Results: Forty-six studies met the inclusion criteria and three major themes were synthesised: (i) recognition of deterioration; (ii) nursing assessment; and, (iii) challenges responding to patient deterioration. Conclusion: The review highlighted significant variability in the ward nurses' role, activities, and skills in assessing, monitoring, managing and escalating care for clinical deterioration.

Subjects

NURSES; CORPORATE culture; MEDICAL information storage & retrieval systems; CROSS-sectional method; OCCUPATIONAL roles; PATIENT safety; MEDICAL technology; INTERPROFESSIONAL relations; PSYCHOLOGICAL burnout; HOSPITAL nursing staff; NURSING assessment; WORK environment; CINAHL database; INTERVIEWING; NURSING; EVALUATION of medical care; DECISION making in clinical medicine; QUANTITATIVE research; CONTINUING education of nurses; SYSTEMATIC reviews; MEDLINE; THEMATIC analysis; CLINICAL deterioration; NURSING practice; NURSES' attitudes; COMMUNICATION; RESEARCH methodology; QUALITY of life; EARLY diagnosis; EARLY warning score; ONLINE information services; DATA analysis software

Publication

Contemporary Nurse: A Journal for the Australian Nursing Profession, 2024, Vol 60, Issue 6, p584

ISSN

1037-6178

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.1080/10376178.2024.2413125