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An early warning system (EWS), sometimes called a between-the-flags or track-and-trigger chart, is a clinical tool used in healthcare to anticipate patient deterioration by measuring the cumulative variation in observations, most often being patient vital signs and level of consciousness. [1]
Vital signs (also known as vitals) are a group of the four to six most crucial medical signs that indicate the status of the body's vital (life-sustaining) functions. These measurements are taken to help assess the general physical health of a person, give clues to possible diseases, and show progress toward recovery.
For example, the Waterlow score and the Braden scale deals with a patient's risk of developing a Pressure ulcer (decubitus ulcer), the Glasgow Coma Scale measures the conscious state of a person, and various pain scales exist to assess the "fifth vital sign". The use of medical equipment is routinely employed to conduct a nursing assessment.
Vital Sign Alert System is an alert system designed by nurses at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. [when?] The alert system, which replaced an ineffective early warning scoring (EWS) system, is a unique creation designed specifically to enhance patient monitoring on medical–surgical and step-down nursing units without increasing the nurse's workload.
S – Signs/Symptoms (Symptoms are important but they are subjective.) A – Allergies; M – Medications; P – Past Pertinent medical history; L – Last Oral Intake (Sometimes also Last Menstrual Cycle.) E – Events Leading Up To Present Illness / Injury
The Revised Trauma Score is made up of three categories: Glasgow Coma Scale, systolic blood pressure, and respiratory rate. The score range is 0–12. In START triage, a patient with an RTS score of 12 is labeled delayed, 11 is urgent, and 3–10 is immediate.
Orthostatic vital signs are also taken after surgery. [7] A patient is considered to have orthostatic hypotension when the systolic blood pressure falls by more than 20 mm Hg, the diastolic blood pressure falls by more than 10 mm Hg, or the pulse rises by more than 20 beats per minute within 3 minutes of standing [5] [7]
The cardiovascular examination is a portion of the physical examination that involves evaluation of the cardiovascular system. The exact contents of the examination will vary depending on the presenting complaint but a complete examination will involve the heart (cardiac examination), lungs (pulmonary examination), belly (abdominal examination) and the blood vessels (peripheral vascular ...