Implementation and Evaluation of an Electronic Early Warning Score (e-EWS) System

NCT04425694 | Unknown

• 1 other identifier: e-EWS 20200526
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Early Warning Score (EWS) is a tool designed to help clinicians efficiently identify and track patients who have or develop acute illness, and make timely clinical responses. The calculation and charting of EWSs at Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) is a manual process at present. The purpose of this study is to automate the EWS calculation and charting process using an electronic EWS (e-EWS) system. However, while the e-EWS system could potentially reduce ward staff's workload and improve patient safety, its effectiveness can only be realized through good human factors (HF) design that matches users' expectations, requirements and work practices. Therefore, our aim is to carry out HF methods in order to inform design of the e-EWS system before its implementation in a selected surgical ward in the hospital. After its implementation, we will also conduct evaluation of the e-EWS system to assess its effectiveness with respect to clinical outcomes.

Conditions

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

Keywords

patient safety; electronic Early Warning Score system; human factors

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Changes in the number of successful detection of deteriorating cases

  from the beginning of the study to the 6th month later

• Changes in the number of cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPRs)

  from the beginning of the study to the 6th month later

• Changes in the number of ICU or high dependency unit transfer

  from the beginning of the study to the 6th month later

• Changes in the number of assistance calls to doctors

  from the beginning of the study to the 6th month later

Secondary Outcomes (13)

• Changes in application-specific self-efficacy

  from the beginning of the study to the 6th month later

• Changes in ward staff's perceived usefulness of the e-EWS system

  from the beginning of the study to the 6th month later

• Changes in ward staff's perceived ease of use of the e-EWS system

  from the beginning of the study to the 6th month later

• Changes in ward staff's perceived behavioral control

  from the beginning of the study to the 6th month later

• Changes in ward staff's attitude towards the e-EWS system

  from the beginning of the study to the 6th month later

Study Arms (1)

F3B ward staff

The e-EWS system will be implemented in a selected surgical ward (F3B ward) in Tuen Mun Hospital. All F3B ward staff will use the system and evaluate its effectiveness.

Device: e-EWS system

Interventions

e-EWS system DEVICE

The e-EWS system is connected to a physiological monitor, which takes various physiological measurements. The system has an auto-charting module, which automatically captures patients' physiological measurements in an electronic chart (e-chart) and calculates their EWS. All the information in the auto-charting module is then wirelessly transferred to a central display in the ward's nurses station. The central display shows patients' status in terms of EWS and issues alerts when any EWS has exceeded a set threshold. The e-EWS system is not only capable of auto-charting but also provides an alert mechanism to help nurses detect early deterioration.

F3B ward staff

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants will be selected from the runner nurses and the ward manager in a selected surgical ward (F3B ward) at Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH).

You may qualify if:

• All F3B ward nursing staff

You may not qualify if:

• Staff not in F3B ward

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The University of Hong Kong: lead
• Lingnan University: collaborator
• Tuen Mun Hospital: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Tuen Mun Hospital

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Royal College of Physicians. National Early Warning Score (NEWS): Standardising the assessment of acute illness severity in the NHS. Report of a working party. London: RCP, 2012.

  BACKGROUND

• Royal College of Physicians. National Early Warning Score (NEWS) 2: Standardising the assessment of acute-illness severity in the NHS. Updated report of a working party. London: RCP, 2017.

  BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Nielsen, J. (2012, June 4). How Many Test Users in a Usability Study?

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 8, 2020
• First Posted: June 11, 2020
• Study Start: November 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2020
• Study Completion: December 31, 2020
• Last Updated: June 11, 2020

Record last verified: 2020-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)