title: Achieving best practice in routine observation of hospital patients.
abstract: This article reviews the evidence supporting best practice when undertaking patient observations in a district general hospital. Correct monitoring of the patients' progress is essential in the detection of adverse events and can potentially prevent admission to intensive care or high dependency units.
authors.affiliation: Dorset County Hospital, West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust.
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stevenson
mesh_terms: D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D001831:Body Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000451:nursing*; D010092:Oximetry; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests