RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Prioritising Responses Of Nurses To deteriorating patient Observations (PRONTO): a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a facilitation intervention on recognition and response to clinical deterioration JF BMJ Quality & Safety JO BMJ Qual Saf FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 818 OP 830 DO 10.1136/bmjqs-2021-013785 VO 31 IS 11 A1 Tracey K Bucknall A1 Julie Considine A1 Gillian Harvey A1 Ian D Graham A1 Jo Rycroft-Malone A1 Imogen Mitchell A1 Bridey Saultry A1 Jennifer J Watts A1 Mohammadreza Mohebbi A1 Shalika Bohingamu Mudiyanselage A1 Mojtaba Lotfaliany A1 Alison Hutchinson YR 2022 UL http://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/31/11/818.abstract AB Background Most hospitals use physiological signs to trigger an urgent clinical review. We investigated whether facilitation could improve nurses’ vital sign measurement, interpretation, treatment and escalation of care for deteriorating patients.Methods In a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial, we randomised 36 inpatient wards at four acute hospitals to receive standard clinical practice guideline (CPG) dissemination to ward staff (n=18) or facilitated implementation for 6 months following standard dissemination (n=18). Expert, hospital and ward facilitators tailored facilitation techniques to promote nurses’ CPG adherence. Patient records were audited pre-intervention, 6 and 12 months post-intervention on randomly selected days. Escalation of care as per hospital policy was the primary outcome at 6 and 12 months after implementation. Patients, nurses and assessors were blinded to group assignment. Analysis was by intention-to-treat.Results From 10 383 audits, improved escalation as per hospital policy was evident in the intervention group at 6 months (OR 1.47, 95% CI (1.06 to 2.04)) with a complete set of vital sign measurements sustained at 12 months (OR 1.22, 95% CI (1.02 to 1.47)). There were no significant differences in escalation of care as per hospital policy between study groups at 6 or 12 months post-intervention. After adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, a significant change from T0 in mean length of stay between groups at 12 months favoured the intervention group (−2.18 days, 95% CI (−3.53 to –0.82)).Conclusion Multi-level facilitation significantly improved escalation as per hospital policy at 6 months in the intervention group that was not sustained at 12 months. The intervention group had increased vital sign measurement by nurses, as well as shorter lengths of stay for patients at 12 months. Further research is required to understand the dose of facilitation required to impact clinical practice behaviours and patient outcomes.Trial registration number ACTRN12616000544471pAll data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as supplemental information.