Global

Recognising and escalating the deteriorating patient (NEWS2, sepsis and rapid response)

A ready-made course you customise for your organisation, with a live session deck and two surveys. You only add the 17 details that are specific to your organisation.

See the live deckSee the full outline
Try the coursePreview the survey
Length
45 min
Lessons
6 lessons
Frequency
At induction + annual update
Last reviewed
21 Oct 2026
Course preview
Interactive course

Scenarios, sorting activities and quizzes with feedback on every answer.

What's included

Three pieces that work together

Copy once, get everything. Learners prepare on their own, you answer questions live, and the surveys tell you what stuck.

Self-paced course

Short lessons with real workplace scenarios, not walls of text.

  • 6 lessons, about 45 minutes
  • Flashcards, step-by-step, tabs, process and quizzes

Live session deck

An AhaSlides presentation to run after the course, in person or online.

  • 12 slides
  • Word cloud, poll, open-ended slides
  • A closing slide for your contacts

Two surveys

Find out what landed, and whether people use it on the job.

  • Post-course feedback, about 2 minutes
  • 30-day check-in
  • Anonymous by default
  • Results feed your next refresher

Learning objectives

At the end of this course, learners can

Each objective and the lesson that covers it.

IDObjectiveSourceWhere it's covered
TO 133.0Achieve ≥ 80% on the final assessment-Whole course
LO 133.1.1Score a set of adult observations with NEWS2 and name the clinical response each score triggers + your infoRCP NEWS2 2017Lesson 1: Observations and early warning scores (NEWS2, PEWS)
LO 133.2.1Recognise when infection could be sepsis, grade the risk with NEWS2 and list the first-hour actions for a high-risk patient + your infoNICE NG253; SSC 2026Lesson 2: Sepsis screening and the first hour
LO 133.3.1Recognise signs of shock and the safe basics of fluid resuscitation, including signs of fluid overload + your infoNICE CG174; NICE NG253; RCUK ALS 2025Lesson 3: Shock and fluid basics
LO 133.4.1Give oxygen to a prescribed target range and read the basic pattern of an arterial blood gas + your infoBTS 2017; NICE NG253Lesson 4: Blood gas and oxygen therapy essentials
LO 133.5.1Escalate clearly with SBAR and call the right team, including the cardiac arrest call + your infoNHS Improvement SBAR guide; RCUK 2025Lesson 5: Escalation with SBAR and the rapid response or cardiac arrest call

Your part: what a template can't do for you

  • Your workplace details: fill in the 17 highlighted fields so the course describes your own policies, contacts and locations.
  • Records: record completion in your own LMS or record system.

Course outline

6 lessons, about 45 minutes

Minutes per lesson are an estimate, shared out by page count.

ContentInteractiveVideoYou customise
1

Observations and early warning scores (NEWS2, PEWS)

4 pages

9 min
Before you beginNoteYour infoYour infoList
Deterioration usually gives a warningTextProcessKey factNote
The NEWS2 scoreTextImageNoteFlashcardsTabsQuiz
What each score asks you to doTableNoteYour infoAccordionYour infoQuiz
2

Sepsis screening and the first hour

3 pages

7 min
Could this be sepsis?TextFlashcardsScenarioMulti-select quiz
Grading the risk with NEWS2TextFlashcardsNoteYour infoMatching quiz
The first hour for a high-risk patientStep-by-stepKey factTabsNoteYour info
3

Shock and fluid basics

3 pages

7 min
What shock looks likeTextSorting activityNoteYour info
Fluid bolusesTextTabsNoteYour infoQuiz
Watching for too much fluidTextChecklistQuiz
4

Blood gas and oxygen therapy essentials

3 pages

7 min
Oxygen to a target, not "as much as possible"TextFlashcardsNoteYour infoQuiz
Reading a blood gas in four stepsStep-by-stepNoteYour infoKey fact
Practise the patternFlashcardsQuiz
5

Escalation with SBAR and the rapid response or cardiac arrest call

4 pages

9 min
Escalate on numbers and on worryTextAccordionYour infoYour infoYour infoQuiz
SBARProcessNoteSorting activity
Cardiac arrest or medical emergency?Step-by-stepScenarioQuiz
After the eventTextStep-by-stepNoteYour infoYour info
6

Final assessment

3 pages

6 min
Final assessment, part 1NoteQuizMulti-select quiz
Final assessment, part 2QuizMatching quizMulti-select quiz
CompletionKey factListNoteYour infoButtonYour info

Live deck and surveys

12 slides to run live, two surveys to close the loop

Pink slides are interactive. Both surveys are anonymous; pink questions are written for this course.

Title + agenda (notesDisclaimer, "all cases are fictional", "no real patient details")
ScalesScales (anonymous, pre-session confidence): "How confident are you at recognising a deteriorating patient?
Word cloudOne sign that worries you before the numbers change
Pick answer - Score itFictional case: breathing 22, saturation 95% on air, BP 105/70, pulse 112, alert, temperature 38.4 °C. NEWS2?" - 4 / 5 / 7 ✔ / 9 [MED-03-V04]
PollWhat's your next step for that patient?" - Recheck in 4 hours / Tell the nurse in charge only / Immediately inform the medical team and ask for emergency assessment ✔ / Wait for the ward round [MED-03-V05]
CorrectCorrect order - "High-risk sepsis on the ward (NICE)": Suspect infection and calculate NEWS2 → Escalate for urgent review → Blood cultures and venous gas with lactate → Prescribed IV antibiotics within 1 hour [MED-03-V15]
True or falseA patient with sepsis always has a high temperature." - False ✔ [MED-03-V12]
Match pairs - Blood gasPH 7.30 ↔ acidosis · PaCO₂ 7.5 kPa ↔ hypercapnia · PaO₂ 7.2 kPa with normal PaCO₂ ↔ type 1 respiratory failure · pH 7.50 ↔ alkalosis [MED-03-V27] [MED-03-V28] [MED-03-V29]
Content · customiseOur escalation route" {{ESCALATION_POLICY}}, {{RAPID_RESPONSE_NUMBER}}, {{CARDIAC_ARREST_NUMBER}}
Open-endedOpen-ended (anonymous, no patient details): "What stops people escalating on our ward?
Q&AQ&A with the outreach or resuscitation team
ClosingClosing - {{SURVEY_URL}}, {{COURSE_URL}}, {{EDUCATOR_CONTACT}}
Post-course feedback: 11 questions, about 2 min
  1. Overall rating 5 stars
  2. Relevant, realistic, right length, helpful activities agree/disagree grid
  3. What was most useful? multi-select
  4. Confidence before this course, and now 1-5 scale
  5. How confident are you now at… grid
  6. What most often delays escalation on your ward? multiple choice
  7. Do you know who to call if a patient scores NEWS2 7 on a night shift? multiple choice
  8. I would be supported if I escalated a patient and it turned out not to be serious. 1-5 scale
  9. One thing we should change or add open text
  10. Would you recommend this course? NPS
30-day check-in
  1. Have you used what you learned since the course? multiple choice
  2. How confident are you today? Compare with day 1 1-5 scale
  3. Do you know where to find our escalation policy and the rapid response and cardiac arrest numbers? yes / no / not sure
  4. A moment where the training helped, or where you weren't sure open text
  5. Which topics should the next refresher focus on? ranking

Results show whether people use the training on the job, not just whether they finished it.

Make it yours

17 fields to fill in, and you're ready

Everything else is done. These are the details only your organisation knows; each one is highlighted inside the course.

  • The adult early warning score in use{{EARLY_WARNING_TOOL}}
  • The paper or electronic observation chart staff use{{OBSERVATION_CHART}}
  • The deteriorating-patient escalation policy, including observation frequency and how deterioration events are reviewed{{ESCALATION_POLICY}}
  • The rapid response, outreach or medical emergency team and how to call them{{RAPID_RESPONSE_NUMBER}}
  • The cardiac arrest call number{{CARDIAC_ARREST_NUMBER}}
  • How patients and families request an urgent review{{PATIENT_FAMILY_ESCALATION}}
Show all 17 fields
  • The sepsis screening tool and pathway, including who can give the first antibiotic dose{{SEPSIS_SCREENING_TOOL}}
  • The children's{{PAEDIATRIC_AND_MATERNITY_TOOLS}}
  • The IV fluid prescribing and resuscitation protocol{{FLUID_PROTOCOL}}
  • How oxygen and target ranges are prescribed{{OXYGEN_PRESCRIBING_POLICY}}
  • The laboratory reference ranges for blood gas, bicarbonate, base excess and lactate{{LAB_REFERENCE_RANGES}}
  • The source of any local figures{{QUALITY_DATA_SOURCE}}
  • The clinical educator or resuscitation officer to contact{{EDUCATOR_CONTACT}}
  • Where completion is recorded{{LMS_OR_RECORD_SYSTEM}}
  • The post-course feedback survey{{SURVEY_URL}}
  • The live companion session link{{LIVE_SESSION_URL}}
  • The self-paced course link{{COURSE_URL}}

FAQ

Common questions

Can I run recognising and escalating the deteriorating patient (NEWS2, sepsis and rapid response) training online?

Yes. The course is self-paced and online, and the live deck lets you add a live session in the room or online.

How often is this training needed?

At induction + annual update (organisation policy).

Who needs this training?

Registered nurses, nursing associates, healthcare assistants and junior doctors on adult inpatient wards.

What records should I keep?

Record completion in your own LMS or record system, so you can show who finished the course and when.

Can I edit the content?

Yes, everything. Change the wording, swap scenarios for ones from your workplace, add your logo, or remove parts that don't apply.

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Last reviewed: 21 October 2026Templates are a starting point, not legal advice.

Ready to run it?

Open the live deck to see how the session runs alongside the course and both surveys.

See the live deck