Ward nurses’ experiences of caring for adult patients with early signs of clinical deterioration: a qualitative study

Aim. Despite advancements in care,ward nurses still experience challenges in early detection and response, facing unnecessary delays in patient treatments. The aim of the study was to describe ward nurses’ experiences caring for adult patients with early signs of clinical deterioration. Material and methods. A qualitative content analysis approach was used. Data collection was completed through an online focus group discussion in November 2023. The meeting was attended by ten ward nurses with experience in caring for adult patients with early signs of clinical deterioration. This study complied with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Results. The analysis identifi ed one main category:”Dealing with the challenges of care for adult patients with early signs of clinical deterioration”, which was divided into two subcategories “Early signs of deterioration assessment”, and “Response to early signs of deterioration”. Conclusions. Ward nurses perceived that unusual changes in patient’s psychosocial and physical functioning were observed at the early phase of patient deterioration. It has been observed that the negative behaviors of other clinicians aff ect the promptness of clinical response. Consequently, there is a need to improve the clinicians’ negative behaviors and develop an eff ective early warning screening tool that accurately capture early signs of patient deterioration in the ward.