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Monitoring Vital Signs: Development of a Modified Early Warning Scoring (Mews) System for General Wards in a Developing Country

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  • Una Kyriacos
  • Jennifer Jelsma
  • Michael James
  • Sue Jordan

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to develop and validate, by consensus, the construct and content of an observations chart for nurses incorporating a modified early warning scoring (MEWS) system for physiological parameters to be used for bedside monitoring on general wards in a public hospital in South Africa. Methods: Delphi and modified face-to-face nominal group consensus methods were used to develop and validate a prototype observations chart that incorporated an existing UK MEWS. This informed the development of the Cape Town ward MEWS chart. Participants: One specialist anaesthesiologist, one emergency medicine specialist, two critical care nurses and eight senior ward nurses with expertise in bedside monitoring (N = 12) were purposively sampled for consensus development of the MEWS. One general surgeon declined and one neurosurgeon replaced the emergency medicine specialist in the final round. Results: Five consensus rounds achieved ≥70% agreement for cut points in five of seven physiological parameters respiratory and heart rates, systolic BP, temperature and urine output. For conscious level and oxygen saturation a relaxed rule of

Suggested Citation

  • Una Kyriacos & Jennifer Jelsma & Michael James & Sue Jordan, 2014. "Monitoring Vital Signs: Development of a Modified Early Warning Scoring (Mews) System for General Wards in a Developing Country," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0087073
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087073
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