Early warning system tied to the Electronic Health Record

Discuss how a computerized early warning system tied to the Electronic Health Record can impact patient care. Consider whether it is more effective than bedside assessments analyzed by the individual RN.

In your initial post, respond to the following questions:

• What is an early warning system and why is it important to patient care?
• What protocols have influenced the development of an early warning system?
• How widely adopted are early warning systems?
• How do patient outcomes compare in a setting where an early warning system is used to a setting where an early warning system is not used?
• How would you advocate for an early warning system in a setting that did not have one?