Week 1: Recognising Clinical
Deterioration Exam Questions and
Answers 100% Pass
How many adverse events are preventable? - ✔✔35%
What are the national bodies for facilitating the advancement of quality and safety in
healthcare? - ✔✔ACSQHC
What are the eight essential elements of recognising clinical deterioration according to
ACSQHC? - ✔✔Clinical processes - includes measurement/documentation of
observations, escalation of care, rapid response systems, and clinical communication.
Organisational prerequisites - organisational supports, education, evaluation, audit and
feedback, and technological systems and solutions
How often is clinical deterioration missed? - ✔✔In 60% of cases. observations indicating
adverse events are not always identified or acted upon
What is situational awareness? - ✔✔Ability to maintain an accurate internal
representation of events in the environment. Integration of multiple skills including
critical thinking, evaluation and normalising
How can vital signs indicate clinical deterioration? - ✔✔Changes and their relationship
with other physiological conditions assists the clinician to assess the patient's condition
and act in a timely manner. These changes must be communicated to prevent further
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY KATELYN WHITMAN, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
, deterioration. Ability to interpret vital signs involves knowledge of the clinical scenario,
including diagnosis, co-morbid history and clinical data, experience and critical
thinking. Brain - mental status and pulse oximetry. Immune system - temperature.
Cardiac - pulse and blood pressure. Respiratory system - respiratory rate and oxygen
saturation
What is the importance of documentation and EWS? - ✔✔Track and trigger tools (e.g.
adult deterioration detection scale, modified early warning scores, children's early
warning tool). Facilitate clinical judgement, Clinical assessment still required. Benefits
include: reduction in critical events, increased activation of rapid response teams.
Incomplete assessment still remains an issue and escalation protocols may not always
be followed. Responding to early warning signs reduces mortality by 75% and
healthcare costs by 40%
How long are critical events preceded by warning signs of pending deterioration? -
✔✔6 to 8 hours prior to the event
What are the famous five EWS? - ✔✔tachypnoea, tachycardia, hypotension, hypoxia
and altered conscious state
What is included in a respiratory assessment? - ✔✔Respiratory rate first vital sign for
document as it reflects changes in the respiratory system, cardiovascular system,
neurological system and metabolic system. RR > 27 breaths/min is the most important
predictor of cardiac arrest in hospital.
What are the ten respiratory indicators? - ✔✔Noisy breathing, inability to talk in
sentences, increased need of supplementary O2 to maintain saturation, agitation,
impaired mentation, impaired cutaneous perfusion, not following expected trajectory,
new/escalating pain, new symptoms, and new observations
What is aerobic respiration? - ✔✔Oxygen is required in order for ATP to be generated
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY KATELYN WHITMAN, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
Deterioration Exam Questions and
Answers 100% Pass
How many adverse events are preventable? - ✔✔35%
What are the national bodies for facilitating the advancement of quality and safety in
healthcare? - ✔✔ACSQHC
What are the eight essential elements of recognising clinical deterioration according to
ACSQHC? - ✔✔Clinical processes - includes measurement/documentation of
observations, escalation of care, rapid response systems, and clinical communication.
Organisational prerequisites - organisational supports, education, evaluation, audit and
feedback, and technological systems and solutions
How often is clinical deterioration missed? - ✔✔In 60% of cases. observations indicating
adverse events are not always identified or acted upon
What is situational awareness? - ✔✔Ability to maintain an accurate internal
representation of events in the environment. Integration of multiple skills including
critical thinking, evaluation and normalising
How can vital signs indicate clinical deterioration? - ✔✔Changes and their relationship
with other physiological conditions assists the clinician to assess the patient's condition
and act in a timely manner. These changes must be communicated to prevent further
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY KATELYN WHITMAN, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
, deterioration. Ability to interpret vital signs involves knowledge of the clinical scenario,
including diagnosis, co-morbid history and clinical data, experience and critical
thinking. Brain - mental status and pulse oximetry. Immune system - temperature.
Cardiac - pulse and blood pressure. Respiratory system - respiratory rate and oxygen
saturation
What is the importance of documentation and EWS? - ✔✔Track and trigger tools (e.g.
adult deterioration detection scale, modified early warning scores, children's early
warning tool). Facilitate clinical judgement, Clinical assessment still required. Benefits
include: reduction in critical events, increased activation of rapid response teams.
Incomplete assessment still remains an issue and escalation protocols may not always
be followed. Responding to early warning signs reduces mortality by 75% and
healthcare costs by 40%
How long are critical events preceded by warning signs of pending deterioration? -
✔✔6 to 8 hours prior to the event
What are the famous five EWS? - ✔✔tachypnoea, tachycardia, hypotension, hypoxia
and altered conscious state
What is included in a respiratory assessment? - ✔✔Respiratory rate first vital sign for
document as it reflects changes in the respiratory system, cardiovascular system,
neurological system and metabolic system. RR > 27 breaths/min is the most important
predictor of cardiac arrest in hospital.
What are the ten respiratory indicators? - ✔✔Noisy breathing, inability to talk in
sentences, increased need of supplementary O2 to maintain saturation, agitation,
impaired mentation, impaired cutaneous perfusion, not following expected trajectory,
new/escalating pain, new symptoms, and new observations
What is aerobic respiration? - ✔✔Oxygen is required in order for ATP to be generated
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY KATELYN WHITMAN, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
