ABSTRACT

With increasing paediatric admissions to hospital, there is a need to develop a hospital information technology system to record patient observations and calculate an early warning score to aid the early identification of unwell patients. Learning from current practice was also undertaken both internally by speaking to staff and externally through visits to other Children's Hospitals. These visits emphasised staff involvement, staff training and planning for the 'go live' stage of the project, including a clear communication strategy. Many National Health Service improvement projects are initiated in a top-down manner, with frontline staff having little influence on them. However, success and sustainability of projects are improved when frontline staff drive them. A strategy of engagement enabled nursing staff and clinical managers to express that they felt there had been a lack of training opportunities for paediatric staff caring for acutely ill children. The Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Deaths recommended the use of early warning scores in paediatric departments.