Respiratory Rate Monitoring and Early Detection of Deterioration Practices

Background: Growing evidence points to respiratory rate (RR) being the most important vital sign for early detection of patient deterioration. However, RR is the vital sign most likely to be inaccurate or missed.

Aims: To measure prevalence of early detection of deterioration protocols, examine whether RR was perceived as the leading indicator of deterioration, and understand RR monitoring practices used by nurses around the world.

Methods: A double-blinded survey of nurses in Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Western Europe.

Findings: 161 nurses responded. Most (80%) reported having an initiative for early detection of patient deterioration; 12% indicated RR was the most important indicator of deterioration, 27% captured RR for all medical/surgical patients, and 56% take 60 seconds or longer to measure RR.

Conclusion: Nurses across all regions generally underestimated the importance of capturing an accurate RR for all patients' multiple times per day. This study reinforces the need to enhance international nursing education regarding the importance of RR.