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

Criteria for Awarding Contact Hours

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

Accreditation

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

The Nurse Planner has determined that no individuals with the ability to control content of this activity have relevant relationships with ineligible companies.

Activities with pharmacotherapeutic credit are to assist the APRN in fulfilling their education requirements for licensure and certification renewals.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.