Which patients should be monitored, how should they be monitored, and why should they be monitored?
Kellett, J.
Acute Medicine 18(4): 208-209
2019
ISSN/ISBN: 1747-4892 PMID: 31912050 Document Number: 18008
Intensively monitoring severely ill patients is like placing a smoke alarm in a burning building: it makes no sense. Smoke alarms only makes sense if they are placed in buildings before a fire starts, or after a fire has been extinguished in order to make sure it does not start again. Therefore, logic suggests that it is more important to monitor sick patients with normal vital signs in order to detect any deterioration as early as possible, or AFTER a severe illness in order to ensure they do not relapse, and it is safe for them to be discharged from hospital and return home.
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