Nursing Dissertation

Track and trigger tools assist nurses with early detection of a deteriorating patient

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This dissertation is an opportunity for me to extend my regards to my research supervisor, my beloved friends and my family for their untiring support that they furnished throughout my research. I am grateful to them for their belief in me and the guidance that they provided me without which I would have never been able to work on and complete this research. It also signifies my own views and does not closely relate to the university.

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Date: __________________________

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this study stand for my individual work without any aid, and this proposal has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level, previously. It is also represents my very own views and not essentially those that are associated with other university.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

Abstract

The acute illness often precedes physiological deterioration in the patients. The timely recognition of such patients can be projected by track and trigger systems. It facilitates the patients with established or potential critical illness out of the areas of hospital care settings. This dissertation will assist in getting an improved understanding of the existing trigger and track tools, by using evidence based approach. The obstacles that make these tools less effective, placing emphasis on nurse compliance, education and poor communication as significant contributing factors will also be considered. The dissertation was developed as a framework to help nurses understand the importance of quality in relation to nursing practice with the intention to be used by all nurses as a guide to achieve and maintain quality. A literature search was carried out which was used to assist in confirming search terms. The search conducted by the researcher focused on acutely unwell adult patients and the effectiveness of track and trigger tools. This study will also provide an excellent practice advice on the adult patient care within acute settings of hospitals. The track and trigger systems when gathered along with suitable response algorithms as it is impending to manage and recognise the critical illness, but to validate the studies further researches are required. In order to determine to what extent the evidence answered the question that forms the title of this project. The critiquing process highlighted strengths and weaknesses of four studies; however the finding of the studies provided insight into the main area that needs improvement. This dissertation will enable the author to develop a similar concept of potential factors that can influence the overall effectiveness of the track and trigger tool. The author concluded that the combination of both qualitative and quantitative research designs has presented some very useful information to broaden the knowledge of a nurse and to enable a higher standard of care delivery with the combination with further research in order to inform practice and clinical guidelines.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSi

DECLARATIONii

Abstractiii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

1.1 Background of the study1

1.11 Acutely ill patient1

1.12 Track and trigger ...