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Prioritising Responses Of Nurses To deteriorating patient Observations (PRONTO): a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a facilitation intervention on recognition and response to clinical deterioration

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Version 2 2024-06-06, 09:25
Version 1 2022-04-25, 14:41
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-06, 09:25 authored by Tracey BucknallTracey Bucknall, Julie ConsidineJulie Considine, G Harvey, ID Graham, J Rycroft-Malone, I Mitchell, B Saultry, Jennifer WattsJennifer Watts, Mohammadreza MohebbiMohammadreza Mohebbi, Shalika Bohingamu MudiyanselageShalika Bohingamu Mudiyanselage, Mojtaba Lotfaliany Abrand AbadiMojtaba Lotfaliany Abrand Abadi, Alison HutchinsonAlison Hutchinson
BackgroundMost hospitals use physiological signs to trigger an urgent clinical review. We investigated whether facilitation could improve nurses’ vital sign measurement, interpretation, treatment and escalation of care for deteriorating patients.MethodsIn a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial, we randomised 36 inpatient wards at four acute hospitals to receive standard clinical practice guideline (CPG) dissemination to ward staff (n=18) or facilitated implementation for 6 months following standard dissemination (n=18). Expert, hospital and ward facilitators tailored facilitation techniques to promote nurses’ CPG adherence. Patient records were audited pre-intervention, 6 and 12 months post-intervention on randomly selected days. Escalation of care as per hospital policy was the primary outcome at 6 and 12 months after implementation. Patients, nurses and assessors were blinded to group assignment. Analysis was by intention-to-treat.ResultsFrom 10 383 audits, improved escalation as per hospital policy was evident in the intervention group at 6 months (OR 1.47, 95% CI (1.06 to 2.04)) with a complete set of vital sign measurements sustained at 12 months (OR 1.22, 95% CI (1.02 to 1.47)). There were no significant differences in escalation of care as per hospital policy between study groups at 6 or 12 months post-intervention. After adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, a significant change from T0 in mean length of stay between groups at 12 months favoured the intervention group (−2.18 days, 95% CI (−3.53 to –0.82)).ConclusionMulti-level facilitation significantly improved escalation as per hospital policy at 6 months in the intervention group that was not sustained at 12 months. The intervention group had increased vital sign measurement by nurses, as well as shorter lengths of stay for patients at 12 months. Further research is required to understand the dose of facilitation required to impact clinical practice behaviours and patient outcomes.Trial registration numberACTRN12616000544471p

History

Journal

BMJ Quality and Safety

Pagination

1-12

Location

London, Eng.

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

2044-5415

eISSN

2044-5423

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Publisher

BMJ