Distribution of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) in care home residents.
National Early Warning Score
care homes
older people
track and trigger systems
Journal
Age and ageing
ISSN: 1468-2834
Titre abrégé: Age Ageing
Pays: England
ID NLM: 0375655
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 12 2019
01 12 2019
Historique:
received:
16
05
2019
pubmed:
10
12
2019
medline:
22
9
2020
entrez:
10
12
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) is a tool based on vital signs that aims to standardise detection of, and response to, clinical deterioration in adults. NEWS has been adopted in hospitals but not adapted for other settings. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of measuring the NEWS in care homes and describe the distribution of NEWS readings amongst care home residents. descriptive analysis of all NEWS readings recorded in a 30-month period (2016-19) across 46 care homes in one Clinical Commissioning Group in England. Comparisons were made between measurements taken as a routine reading and those prompted by concern about acute illness. a total of 19,604 NEWS were recorded from 2,424 older adults (≥65 years; mean age 85). Median NEWS was 2. Two thirds (66%) of residents had a low NEWS (≤2), and 28% had a score of 0. Of the total NEWS readings, 6,277 (32%) were known to be routine readings and 2,256 (12%) were measured because of staff concerns. Median NEWS was 1 for routine and 2 for concern recordings. Overall, only 12% of NEWS were high (≥5), but a higher proportion were elevated when there were concerns about acute illness (18%), compared with routine recordings (7%). use of NEWS in care homes appears to be feasible. The majority of NEWS were not elevated, and the distribution of scores is consistent with other out-of-hospital settings. Further work is required to know if NEWS is triggering the most appropriate response and improving care home resident outcomes.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) is a tool based on vital signs that aims to standardise detection of, and response to, clinical deterioration in adults. NEWS has been adopted in hospitals but not adapted for other settings. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of measuring the NEWS in care homes and describe the distribution of NEWS readings amongst care home residents.
METHODS
descriptive analysis of all NEWS readings recorded in a 30-month period (2016-19) across 46 care homes in one Clinical Commissioning Group in England. Comparisons were made between measurements taken as a routine reading and those prompted by concern about acute illness.
RESULTS
a total of 19,604 NEWS were recorded from 2,424 older adults (≥65 years; mean age 85). Median NEWS was 2. Two thirds (66%) of residents had a low NEWS (≤2), and 28% had a score of 0. Of the total NEWS readings, 6,277 (32%) were known to be routine readings and 2,256 (12%) were measured because of staff concerns. Median NEWS was 1 for routine and 2 for concern recordings. Overall, only 12% of NEWS were high (≥5), but a higher proportion were elevated when there were concerns about acute illness (18%), compared with routine recordings (7%).
CONCLUSIONS
use of NEWS in care homes appears to be feasible. The majority of NEWS were not elevated, and the distribution of scores is consistent with other out-of-hospital settings. Further work is required to know if NEWS is triggering the most appropriate response and improving care home resident outcomes.
Identifiants
pubmed: 31813952
pii: 5631923
doi: 10.1093/ageing/afz130
pmc: PMC6911654
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
141-145Commentaires et corrections
Type : CommentIn
Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.
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