Getting the right NEWS2 Score on your ePCR

You may have seen the recent article in Safety Matters around when to use the NEWS2 Scale 2, but do you know how to use Scale 2 on the ePCR?

It is important that the NEWS2 Scale 2 is only used for patients that have been diagnosed with hypercapnic respiratory failure.

The ePCR Siren application is able to auto calculate your NEWS score as long as all relevant observations and detail sections are completed i.e. On Air or Oxygen for SpO² and Alert or CVPU for Consciousness.

If your patient should be scored using the NEWS2 Scale 2 this can be recorded using the Auto NEWS2 calculator by selecting the ‘Pt with Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure’ option from the News2 Details box.

Once Selected the News Score will be adjusted to reflect the scale 2 scoring.

Please note that the other option listed in the details section ‘Not Applicable to Patient’ is for use when you do not want a NEWS2 score displayed on your report i.e. for patients under 16.

The full Quick Reference Guide for using the Auto NEWS2 on the ePCR can be found here NEWS2 QRG

Published 23rd March 2023