New graduate nurses on night shifts lack a clear, step-by-step protocol for escalating patient deterioration when senior staff or on-call physicians are unreachable, leading to uncertainty and potential delays in care.

Workarounds Described

• Bolused and trended without clear guidance from a provider
• Relied on preceptor's personal network of contacts for backup
• Tried rapid response line multiple times without definitive instruction

Implied Software Gaps

• A structured escalation algorithm app that provides step-by-step guidance when first-line contacts are unresponsive
• A hospital staff directory with on-call schedules and backup contact information accessible from mobile devices
• A decision support tool that offers evidence-based interventions for specific patient presentations when immediate physician input is unavailable

NurseLine Assist

NurseLine Assist is a mobile escalation decision support app that guides nurses through a structured, unit-specific algorithm when a patient deteriorates and primary contacts are unavailable. It provides clear next steps, automatically logs attempts, and offers accessible quick references to hospital policies, reducing decision paralysis and improving response times.