Helping to improve patient care in hospitals
Published: 27 November 2012
Health care assistants and assistant practitioners (HCAs and APs) have an important role in improving patient care in hospitals.
The RCN has been working with the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) to develop ways that doctors and nursing staff can work together to make a difference.
National Early Warning Score
The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) consists of a standardised bedside chart and uses universally recognised terminology to make it easier for clinical staff to recognise and respond to a patient whose condition is deteriorating. The system can be used in both acute and community care settings.
The benefits of a single NEWS system include:
- giving a simple, standardised set of parameters to be scored when a patient’s vital signs are initially assessed, and which remain consistent if a patient is moved between wards, departments and even hospitals
- standardising the training of different staff groups so that there is a common language, expectation and understanding of deteriorating patients, whether you are an HCA, AP, nurse or doctor and regardless of how long you have worked in the same place
- hospitals and other health care settings will be able to hold standardised data, so regional variations in illness and clinical outcomes can be analysed. This could help identify patient safety issues.
An e-learning portal was developed by the RCN for use by all health care staff.
Prioritisation of ward rounds
Ward rounds need to be restored to a position of central importance in how we collectively care for and communicate with patients, according to a new report.
It also said HCAs and APs, as part of the multidisciplinary care team, should have the opportunity to participate in ward rounds if appropriate to the patient.
The report, called Ward Rounds in Medicine: Principles for Best Practice, also highlights how the development of good working relationships between health care professionals not only strengthens communication channels but also cultivates a team culture.
Read the report (PDF 1.8MB) [see how to access PDF files].
We would like to hear from you! If you have implemented NEWS or taken an active role in ward rounds, share your story by emailing hca@rcn.org.uk