RapidAssessmentoftheAcutelyIllPatient

RapidAssessmentoftheAcutelyIllPatientsetsouttheprinciplesandpracticesneededforearlyrecognitionandassessmentofpatientseitheratriskoforshowingsignsofacute?deterioration,orthoserecentlyrelocatedfromhigherlevelsofcare.Thefocusisonpatientassessment,interpretationandevaluationofdata,immediatemanagementofsignificantproblems,ongoingandfurtherassessmentsinordertoimproveclinicaloutcomes.?RapidAssessmentoftheAcutelyIllPatientprovidesaframeworkforasystematicinitialpatientassessmentandexploresprinciplesofeffectiveassessment.Bodysystemsareconsideredinorderoflife–threateningpriorityfollowingtheABCDEapproach,dealingwiththeassessmentandmanagementofairway,breathing,circulation,disability–andeverythingelse;coveringtopicssuchasvisual,palpatoryandauscultatoryassessment,useofadditionaldocumentedinformation(charts,notesetc),andinterpretingdiagnosticinvestigations.Methodstoensureeffectivecommunicationandteam–workingarealsodiscussed.KeyfeaturesPartoftheEssentialClinicalSkillsforNursesseriesAimedatnursesworkinginwardsandspecialistdepartmentsExplorestheassessmentskillsrequiredforarapidresponsetoapatientatriskofbecomingacutelyunwellEnablesstudentsandpractitionerstodeveloppracticalandinterpretativeskillsProvidesaframeworkforassessmentandprinciplesoffirstlinetreatmentIncludes‘Look’,‘Listen’,‘Feel’and‘Measure’iconsSheilaAdamisHeadofNursing,SpecialistHospitalsBoard,UCLHospitalsNHSFoundationTrustandauthorofNursinginCriticalCare:ScienceandPractice(nowinits2ndedition),TheOxfordHandbookofCriticalCareNursingandNutritionintheCriticallyIll.JohnWelchisNurseConsultantinCriticalCare,UniversityCollegeLondonHospitalsNHSFoundationTrust,andformerChairoftheNationalOutreachForum.MandyOdellisNurseConsultantinCriticalCare,RoyalBerkshireNHSFoundationTrust,NurseandAlliedHealthProfessionalrepresentativefortheIntensiveCareSocietyandformerChairoftheBritishAssociationofCriticalCareNurses.