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A new quality programme is taking a multi-pronged approach to improving care of the deteriorating patient.
Last year, the Health Quality & Safety Commission last year secured funding to implement its patient deterioration programme. This is a five-year quality improvement programme to improve care for deteriorating hospital inpatients (excluding maternity and paediatric patients).
The overarching goals of the programme are to:
* increase consumer and clinician engagement;
* increase cultural awareness and communication between patients, families/ whânau and clinicians; and
* build capability in recognising and responding to patient deterioration^
To ensure clinician engagement, a patient deterioration expert advisory group has been established and includes representatives from medical and nursing colleges. College of Emergency Nurses chair Rick Foster and College of Critical Care Nurses' committee representative Alison Pirret are representing NZNO. Regional and local groups are forming around the country to plan implementation of the programme.
A number of work streams will be implemented over the five years. These include implementing a New Zealand early warning score (NZEWS) vital signs chart to ensure response systems are in place so deteriorating patients receive timely and appropriate treatment; initiating patient and whânau escalation systems; establishing shared goals of care; and incorporating effective measurement systems.
* The NZEWS vital signs chart: This allocates a numerical value to various vital signs - the greater...