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Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) for Clinical Deterioration
Bedside vital-sign score flagging patients at risk of clinical deterioration.
Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) for Clinical Deterioration
Respiratory rate
Heart rate
Systolic blood pressure
Temperature
Level of consciousness (AVPU)
Result0 points
Low score: routine monitoring.
- MEWS total
- 0
When to use
- Bedside track-and-trigger screening of hospitalized patients to identify early clinical deterioration.
Formula
Sum of 0-3 points each for respiratory rate, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, temperature, and AVPU consciousness level.
Pearls and pitfalls
- Higher scores should trigger more frequent observations and escalation per local rapid-response protocols.
- Numerous local variants of MEWS exist; confirm which version your institution has validated.