Deteriorating Patients

The recognition and management of the deteriorating patient is a crucial clinical skill. Any clinicians who care for unwell patients should have the skills to recognise deterioration and manage it appropriately and quickly.

DETECT (Detecting Deterioration, Evaluation, Treatment, Escalation and Communicating in Teams) which is part of the Between the Flags Program has many user friendly resources developed by NSW Health. Links to some of these are below:

• CEC - Deteriorating Patient Program

• My Health Learning

The below My Health Learning modules are relevant to DETECT

• Between the Flags - Adult DETECT
• Between the Flags - Paediatric DETECT
• ISBAR Communication

Other links

• Emergency Protocols (ACRRM + ECI)

• Recognition and management of patients who are deteriorating - PD2020_018

• Paediatric Improvement Collaborative (PIC) - Interstate Paediatric clinical practice guidelines