did you know that medical error that includes a nursing failure to rescue is now the third leading cause of death in the United States resulted in over 250,000 deaths annually failure to rescue occurs when a patient has an adverse outcome and even dies following a life-threatening complication which could have been avoided if timely recognition and appropriate intervention by the bedside nurse and health care team had taken place in order to think like a nurse a student must be able to recognize signs of early clinical instability to be a superhero and save a life most patients do not just suddenly code and go straight into cardiac arrest visible patient deterioration occurs in most patients from 6 to 24 hours before cardiac arrest and happens most frequently on med surg units where nurse patient ratios are high and clinical experience tends to be low because of a higher percentage of newer nurses routine vital signs must never be considered routine vital signs are the first to change in the following vital sign changes our clinical red flags that must be immediately recognized by the nurse respirations abnormal respiratory rate either too high or too low but most often to keep Nia is the problem decreasing o2 set with increasing oxygen needs shortness of breath as a chief complaint at any time cardiac elevated heart rate reduce systolic blood pressure in any complaint of chest pain other factors are abnormal temperature usually too high in neurologic changes in altered Mental Status in one study the three most common physiologic changes preceding cardiac arrest were abnormal breathing abnormal pulse an abnormal systolic blood pressure but which vital sign is most vital though all vital signs are vital which parameter do you think is the priority in earliest and most sensitive sign of an impending complication to Kipp Nia or an increase in respiratory rate though all vital sign parameters must be trained to think like a nurse and recognize a potential complication early the respiratory rate must be noted accurately recorded and not guesstimated by the nurse ironically respiratory rate is the most neglected vital signs and one study only 14% of charts of patients who are trance from the icy to the Edie had it recorded and make sure you understand the physiologic why of each clinical red flag and assessment edit to ensure that your knowledge is being applied to the bedside and not just cookbook nursing and looking at the numbers alone as a nurse embrace this responsibilities that you literally hold a life in your hands do this and it becomes obvious that Nursing is not about you and passing the test but about being the best so you don't harm or even kill your patients what did you learn and take away from this video I'd love to know it post a comment and share it with others then like this video and share with someone who would care and if you haven't already subscribed to this channel to be the first in line to get fresh content that will help you be better prepared for practice and empower you to be a superhero in scrubs whose patients will have Rockstar outcomes