Jim Briggs, Ina Kostakis, Paul Meredith, Chiara Dall'ora, Julie Darbyshire, Stephen Gerry, Peter Griffiths, Jo Hope, Jeremy Jones, Caroline Kovacs, Rob Lawrence, David Prytherch, Peter Watkinson, Oliver Redfern
BACKGROUND: The frequency at which patients should have their vital signs (e.g. blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation) measured on hospital wards is currently unknown. Current National Health Service monitoring protocols are based on expert opinion but supported by little empirical evidence. The challenge is finding the balance between insufficient monitoring (risking missing early signs of deterioration and delays in treatment) and over-observation of stable patients (wasting resources needed in other aspects of care)...
March 2024: Health Soc Care Deliv Res