Popular Science News – a standardised patient chart in hospitals makes sense for many reasons, not the least the estimated 6000 lives it is calculated to save. The idea is that vital signs can be registered in a way that will be the same across all hospitals in the UK. For those who have taken a peek at charts, usually at the end of a patient’s bed, this will make it easier for them to keep a check up on a friend or relative’s condition. Perhaps more importantly, if they’ve taken time to understand the layout of this chart, they’ll even know if the readings are up to date. If they aren’t then this could be a sign of neglect.
The National Early Warning Score, as it is called, when added up tells you if a patient’s health is deteriorating. How this score is used will be found online and so you can get involved in monitoring the health of anyone you visit in hospital. If you need any incentive to do this then surely the estimated 6000 patients who might still be alive if this had been done properly must be the most important.
Recent Comments