The result of application's monitoring of NEWS score in a surgery unit of a North Italy hospital

Abstract

In a hospital in Northern Italy was decided to experiment a new standardized methodology for detection and evaluation of vital parameters and effective communication between healthcare professionals, with the applications of NEWS score. Then it was necessary to evaluate the application and usefulness of the score in the specific contest. The aim of this project was adopting a validated and standardized methodology for detecting vital parameters to identificate early the signs and symptoms of a possible clinical deterioration and to create an effective communication between professionals. In the end it was necessary to monitor the correct application of the NEWS score to evaluate the usefulness of extending the score in surgical units. The indicators were identified and monitored, consulting a sample of medical Gynecologic records of the 2019. The sample size useful for having a confidence level of 95% was identified, which, according to the Sample Size Calculator, known the population of 865 patients, corresponds to 160 sample units. An ad hoc data set was then developed for data collection. The correctness of the execution of clinical monitoring according to the parameters provided by the score is 75%, while the completeness of score's recording is 99% of the sample analyzed. The days of hospitalization in which there is a score≥5 are 10, equal to 1.5%. An in-depth study of cases with a score ≥5 showed that in 9 out of 10 cases the doctor was alerted. The NEWS score is useful in the early identification of risk situations, in rapid and objective communication and in the timely activation of interventions to prevent complications. Furthermore, the application of the score does not involve a waste of time than that used for the collection of vital parameters.