Spotting the signs and saving lives
At Whipps Cross Hospital, keeping patients safe is everyone’s responsibility. Most of the time, care runs smoothly - but when a patient starts to become unwell, recognising the signs early can make all the difference.
On one of our surgical wards, a serious incident became a turning point. A patient’s condition deteriorated rapidly and, although warning signs were present, escalation was delayed. A deep dive into what happened showed that early warning scores were high but not acted on promptly. Staff told us they felt anxious, deskilled and unsure - not because they didn’t care, but because these situations are rare and stressful, especially for junior nurses.
This led to a quality improvement project led by Matron Tahmina Sayani and Clinical Nurse Educator Maria Mistry. Rather than more classroom teaching, the team brought learning directly onto the wards through high‑fidelity in‑situ simulation. This means practising realistic emergency scenarios using real patient beds, monitors and equipment, in the actual clinical environment. Doctors, nurses and therapists respond as they would in real life - and then everyone pauses to reflect and learn together.
The impact was powerful. Most nurses showed improved knowledge in recognising and escalating a deteriorating patient, and confidence grew significantly. One of the biggest benefits staff described was practising in their own workplace - understanding ward layouts, local protocols and team roles reduced anxiety and helped things feel more “real”.
This work has now been recognised nationally. The team presented the project at the recent Royal College of Nursing Education Conference 2026, sharing Whipps Cross learning with over 400 healthcare professionals from across the UK.
The message was simple but important: practising together, in real settings, builds confidence, strengthens teamwork and helps us act faster when patients need us most. In‑situ simulation is no longer “just training” - it’s becoming part of everyday clinical life, supporting a culture of preparedness and safer care for all.
Pictured (above) from left to right: Leyla Ahmet - simulation lead; Tahmina Sayani - matron, surgery; Maria Mistry - clinical educator, surgery; Mutsa Tawonezvi - ward manager, Conifer ward.
Pictured (below): the team presenting at the conference.
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