Detection of critical deterioration in hospitalised children
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Improving the detection of critical deterioration in hospitalised children: what do children and young people think about vital sign monitoring and early warning systems?
IRAS ID
123276
Contact name
Jo Wray
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL Institute of Child Health
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Timely detection and management of clinical deterioration in hospitalised children is essential to prevent adverse events such as cardio-respiratory arrest and untimely death. Paediatric early warning systems have been recommended to monitor all hospitalised children but studies have, as yet, failed to demonstrate significant improvement in outcome as a result of their use. Paediatric early warning systems rely heavily on accurate and reliable vital sign monitoring but research has demonstrated that these can be poorly recorded.
This study aims to understand the perceptions of hospitalised children/young people and families of vital sign recording and paediatric early warning scores. By exploring patient and parental perceptions, future interventions could be developed that maximise the child's and families' experience and potentially improve the efficiency of paediatric early warning scores. This may lead to more patient-centred interventions, which may reduce adverse events and lead to improvements in outcome.
This study is Phase 3a of a 4-phase PhD study examining clinical deterioration in hospitalised children. Ethical approval is only required for this stage, although an outline of the complete research proposal is being submitted so the ethics committee can see its context within the complete PhD.REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SC/1445
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion