Colour-coded cups aid care on hospital wards
A SIMPLE but effective system of colour-coded cups has been introduced to help nurses quickly identify patients who need help with drinking on a Lincolnshire hospital ward.
The system has been introduced on Ward 6B at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, by Sister Becky Tomlin, who came up with the idea of introducing red, blue and green cups to identify which patients need assistance when taking fluids.
This new approach is an addition to the Trust’s existing systems and uses visible tools to help staff on busy wards identify quickly and easily who needs help.
Patients with red cups need help, those with blue cups may sometimes have difficulties while green cups signify that the patient has no trouble drinking by themselves.
Sister Tomlin said: “Patients are assessed when they come on to the ward so that we know right away what their needs are.
“This new system then allows nursing staff to see at a glance the needs of each patient, which on a busy ward like this makes it so much easier to know which patients need help.
“Feedback from my team has been really positive and the system was also rolled out to Ward 6A last month. It was such a simple idea but has been really effective.”
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Weather for Sleaford
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
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