title: Evaluation of the effect of the modified early warning system on the nurse-led activation of the rapid response system.
abstract: The modified early warning system (MEWS) is a scoring rubric used to detect the earliest signs of a change in a patient's condition. This mixed-methods study used pre- and postintervention data to describe the impact of the MEWS on the frequency of rapid response system activations and cardiopulmonary arrests among patients admitted to medical-surgical units. Focus groups of nursing staff provided insight into the factors that influence how nurses use the MEWS at the bedside as a framework to identify, intervene, and manage patients in need of an advanced level of care.
authors.affiliation: Wilkes University School of Nursing, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (Dr Stewart); Duke University School of Nursing, Durham, North Carolina (Drs Carman and Sabol); and Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania (Dr Spegman).
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carman
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spegman
authors.forename: Valerie K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Sabol
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D017144:Focus Groups; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D012189:Retrospective Studies