Perception of clinical deterioration cues among medical‐surgical nurses

Abstract

To better understand how nurses perceive deterioration cues, this study integrated concepts from the Situation Awareness model and Signal Detection Theory. Novice, advanced beginner and competent nurses were found to have a lower capacity to perceive deterioration cues compared with proficient and expert nurses. With simulation increasingly being used as a primary teaching modality in nursing, the development of a simulation-based signal detection training intervention may be beneficial in enhancing deterioration cue perception.