Opinions of Nurses and Physicians on a Patient, Family, and Visitor Activated Rapid Response System in Use Across Two Hospital Settings

Background: Early detection of deterioration of hospitalized patients with timely intervention improves outcomes in the hospital. Patients, family members, and visitors (consumers) at the patient's bedside who are familiar with the patient's condition may play a critical role in detecting early patient deterioration. The authors sought to understand clinicians’ views on consumer reporting of patient deterioration through an established hospital consumer-initiated escalation-of-care system. 

Methods: A convenience sample of new graduate-level to senior-level nurses and physicians from two hospitals in South Australia was administered a paper survey containing six open-ended questions. Data were analyzed with a matrix-style framework and six steps of thematic analysis. 

Results: A total of 244 clinicians—198 nurses and 46 physicians—provided their views on the consumer-initiated escalation-of-care system. Six major themes and subthemes emerged from the responses indicating that (1) clinicians were supportive of consumer reporting and felt that consumers were ideally positioned to recognize deterioration early and raise concerns about it; (2) management support was required for consumer escalation processes to be effective; (3) clinicians’ workload could possibly increase or decrease from consumer escalation; (4) education of consumers and staff on escalation protocol is a requirement for success; (5) there is need to build consumer confidence to speak up; and (6) there is a need to address barriers to consumer escalation. 

Conclusion: Clinicians were supportive of consumers acting as first reporters of patient deterioration. Use of interactive, encouraging communication skills with consumers was recognized as critical. Annual updating of clinicians on consumer reporting of deterioration was also recommended.