Low compliance to a vital sign safety protocol on general hospital wards: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Periodic vital sign monitoring is commonly used to detect clinical deterioration. Incomplete assessment of Early Warning Score (EWS) and poor protocol compliance may negatively impact nurses' responsiveness to critical situations.

Objective: This study assesses the quality of recorded EWSs and the degree of overall protocol compliance and protocol compliance in adverse event patients, in a centre that is an early adopter of an EWS safety protocol.