Predicting Patient Instability for Nursing Care

Predicting Patient Instability Noninvasively for Nursing Care – Three (PPINNC-3)

NIH-funded research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-10991838

This project aims to help nurses quickly identify and predict when hospitalized patients might become sicker by using continuous vital sign monitoring.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Pittsburgh, United States)
Project IDNIH-10991838 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

We are working to develop new ways to predict when a patient in the hospital might experience a serious change in their heart or breathing. Currently, alarms often go off too frequently, leading to "alarm fatigue" for nurses. Our approach uses advanced computer models to analyze continuous vital sign data, looking for subtle patterns over time. This helps distinguish between minor issues and real problems that need immediate attention. The goal is to give nurses earlier warnings, allowing them to provide care before a patient's condition worsens significantly.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Hospitalized patients in step-down units who are receiving continuous vital signs monitoring are the focus of this research.

Not a fit: Patients not hospitalized or not requiring continuous vital signs monitoring would not directly benefit from this specific technology.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to earlier detection of patient decline, potentially reducing serious complications and improving patient safety in hospitals.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work by this team and others has shown that analyzing vital sign trends over time is a promising way to forecast patient instability.

Where this research is happening

Pittsburgh, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.