Abstract
Neonatal nurses typically record hourly data of heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and other physiological parameters from the monitors on sick infants. This recording is time consuming and is collected at variable times depending on the nurses' other duties. We wished to evaluate the accuracy of this nursing practice.
Methods: 37 infants who required intensive care were studied during the first 48 hours of life. Each infant was connected to a computerised cot monitoring system which accessed data every 1 second and gave a median and mean value each hour. Any artifact (<6.9% data) is excluded. The difference between the computer median and the nurse record each hour over the first 48 hours gave a mean difference value (a measure of nurse accuracy) and a standard deviation (a measure of precision).
Results: Although the differences (m,SD) between nurse and computer values were highly significant - PO2 (0.22, 1.08) kPa, HR (3.91, 8.37) per min, mean BP (0.92,3.80) mm Hg and T (0.75, 0.46)oC; (all p<0.001), with the nurses tending to chart higher, only the temperature difference is clinically important.
Conclusion: a computer can access hourly information as accurately as experienced neonatal nurses.
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Cunningham, S., Deere, S., Elton, R. et al. ACCURACY OF NURSE CHARTING IN A NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. Pediatr Res 32, 632 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00163
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199211000-00163