Decision making regarding what level of system response should be assigned to any
specific NZEWS value is aided by a NEWS distribution curve derived from almost 200,000
vital sign datasets taken from the NEWS validation paper1 (reproduced as figure 2 on the
following page). This dataset contains NEWS values calculated for patients in whom the
combined outcomes of unanticipated Intensive Care Unit admission, cardiac arrest, or
death occurred within 24 hours of the vital signs being obtained.