Deterioration Index: A Game-Changer for Patient Outcomes

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

The limited scoring range of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) restricts its ability to assist clinicians in proactively identifying subtle clinical decline in patients. The Deterioration Index (DI) is a significant improvement in determining the risk of mortality over the next 12 to 38 hours. Learn how a systematic multidisciplinary team approach to DI implementation leads to improved clinical judgment of nurses, team collaboration, and patients receiving the right care at the right time.

Objectives

Describe the ability of the deterioration index (DI) in improving patient outcomes by facilitating early clinical intervention.
Summarize the importance of a systematic, multidisciplinary team approach for successful implementation and sustainability of the DI score.
Apply the DI to a hypothetical case study, illustrating early identification of decline and avoidance of cardiac arrest outside ICU.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Successful Completion

Learners must complete the entire activity and the associated evaluation to be awarded contact hours AND read Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes. No partial credit will be awarded.

Accreditation

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider number CEP 1036, for {contactHours} contact hours.

Disclosures

Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content will be identified by the Nurse Planner within the activity. Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content has been mitigated.

Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN, ANCC, or CBRN approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity. Activities with pharmacology hours are to assist the APRN in fulfilling the pharmacotherapeutic education requirements for licensure and certification renewals.

Activities meet the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your own state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting your certificate of completion.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.