• Int J Health Care Qual Assur · Jan 2015

    Early warning scores: unravelling detection and escalation.

    • Gary B Smith, David R Prytherch, Paul Meredith, and Paul E Schmidt.
    • Centre of Postgraduate Medical Research and Education (CoPMRE), Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK.
    • Int J Health Care Qual Assur. 2015 Jan 1; 28 (8): 872-5.

    PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of how patient deterioration is detected and how clinical care escalates when early warning score (EWS) systems are used.Design/Methodology/ApproachThe authors critically review a recent National Early Warning Score paper published in IJHCQA using personal experience and EWS-related publications, and debate the difference between detection and escalation.FindingsIncorrect EWS choice or poorly understood EWS escalation may result in unnecessary workloads forward and responding staff.Practical ImplicationsEWS system implementers may need to revisit their guidance materials; medical and nurse educators may need to expand the curriculum to improve EWS system understanding and use.Originality/ValueThe paper raises the EWS debate and alerts EWS users that scrutiny is required.

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