Patient and/or family activated rapid response service: Patients' perceptions of deterioration and need for a service.

Background: Patient and/or family activated escalation may improve care to deteriorating patients. However, limited literature describes patients' and families' experience of deterioration and what barriers might restrict call activation.

Objective: This study explored patients' and families' experiences of acute ward deterioration, their perception of a need for a patient and/or family activated escalation service and barriers that may prevent them from using it.

Nasal high flow oxygen therapy in the ward setting: A prospective observational study.

Background: Whilst research demonstrates the benefits of nasal high flow oxygen in the intensive care setting, limited literature exists on its benefits in ward patients.

Objectives: This study evaluated the use of nasal high flow oxygen in adult ward patients with respiratory failure or at risk of respiratory deterioration. Primary outcome was an improvement in pulmonary function as indicated by decreases in respiratory and heart rates and an increase in arterial oxygen saturation via pulse oximetry RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Using a prospective observational research design, purposeful sampling recruited 67 adult ward patients receiving nasal high flow oxygen between May and July 2015 (inclusive).

Staff perceptions of a patient at risk team: A survey design.

Introduction: Whilst research demonstrates the benefits of critical care outreach, limited research describes staffs' perspective of these teams.

Objective: This study examined ward nurses' and doctors' perceptions of the service provided by a nurse-led 24hours a day, seven days a week Patient at Risk team.

Design: Using an exploratory survey research design and a previously used instrument, data were collected between January and March (2016).

The effectiveness of a patient at risk team comprised of predominantly ward experienced nurses: A before and after study.

Introduction: Improving care to deteriorating ward patients require systems to trigger a response and a response team. This paper describes the effectiveness of a Patient at Risk team (PART) comprised predominantly of experienced ward nurses.

Method: The study used a single site before and after historical control design.