Why do healthcare professionals fail to escalate as per the early warning system (EWS) protocol? A qualitative evidence synthesis of the barriers and facilitators of escalation.

S. M O’Neill; B. Clyne; M. Bell; A. Casey; B. Leen; S. M Smith; M. Ryan; M. O’Neill

Review

Why do healthcare professionals fail to escalate as per the early warning system (EWS) protocol? A qualitative evidence synthesis of the barriers and facilitators of escalation.

February 17, 2021

O’Neill SM, Clyne B, Bell M, et al. BMC Emerg Med. 2021;21(1):15.

View more articles from the same authors.

Early warning systems (EWS) can aid in early detection of clinical deterioration and assist rapid response teams (RRTs). In this qualitative synthesis, the authors identified barriers and facilitators to the escalation of care according to early warning system protocols. The overarching themes involved governance (e.g., standardization, resources), RRT behaviors, professional boundaries, clinical experience, and EWS parameters.

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