How Fast Is My Patient Deteriorating? A Qualitative Description Study of A Concern Factor Tool to Support Nurses’ Communication and Prioritization Decision Making

This study used qualitative description to describe factors influencing nurses' use of the Concern Factor tool to support decision making in acute care settings. Twenty-two nurses participated in interviews. Three main themes included: (1) The Concern Factor tool supported consistent and effective communication toward team understanding of patient status, (2) The Concern Factor tool supported nurses' identification of patterns and prioritization of patient care needs rooted in previous clinical experience, and (3) The flexible and intuitive design of the Concern Factor tool supported usability for nursing practice. Findings provide new information to support nurse communication and prioritization decision making.