This review reminds us that discharging emergency department patients with abnormal vital signs is a risk for the patient and the provider. The more abnormal vital signs that are present, the higher the risk of adverse event and subsequent return to the emergency department.
“Hypotension at discharge was associated with the highest odds of adverse events after discharge. Tachycardia was also a key predictor of adverse events after discharge and may be easily missed by ED clinicians.”
Always address abnormal vital signs in your medical decision making portion of the chart and be very wary of discharging anyone with tachycardia or other abnormal vital signs.
References
Can I Discharge This Adult Patient with Abnormal Vital Signs From the Emergency Department?
