Managing a Deteriorating Patient

Clinical Communiqué is a newsletter written by clinicians, using a case-study approach to report on lessons learned from deaths investigated by the Coroners’ Court of Victoria. This edition explores the “challenging scenarios of managing a deteriorating patient in a rural or regional setting, and the obstacles that are faced when attempting to transfer a critically ill patient for ongoing treatment.” 

When cases of patient deaths in hospital are reviewed at mortality case review meetings or coronial inquests, there are common themes that frequently emerge. These themes are the critical elements that need to be present, or performed well, in order to provide safe and effective patient care. They include communication, documentation, awareness of one’s skills and limitations, recognising the deteriorating patient, and following guidelines, to name but a few. Failure or sub-optimal provision of even one element, inevitably leads to a failure in a system and the potential for patients to suffer preventable harm.

Clinical Communiqué. Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine

Volume 2 Issue 4 December 2015
http://www.vifmcommuniques.org/volume-2-issue-4-december-2015/