Insights on Kirby’s Rule of 20

Kirby’s Rule of 20 is a list of 20 essential parameters that should be assessed daily in all critically ill animals.^1,2 In fact, many of these parameters should be evaluated multiple times a day.¹

In an interview with dvm360 at the Fetch dvm360 Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Andrea Pace, CVT, VTS (ECC), talked about her lecture on Kirby’s Rule of 20, explaining that although the rule is not widely used, it provides an excellent framework for ensuring comprehensive patient evaluations in hospital settings.

Below is the interview transcript

Andrea Pace, CVT, VTS (ECC): I am a huge advocate for reasonable and… informed triages. I feel like a lot of places, sometimes it gets a little bit thrown by the wayside and it's just like, ‘Oh, they're here, and let's look at them.’ So I wanted to make sure people are really taking a close look at our patients and making sure we're really assessing everything we can in a timely fashion, but also being aware of some of the limitations and urgencies that may exist in our triages. And Kirby's Rule of 20 is something I feel like is not used as much as it could be, but it's a great backdrop for making sure we are taking a look at all our patients and being able to focus on all of their issues in the hospital.

References

1. Checklist: The rule of 20. dvm360. February 6, 2013. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://www.dvm360.com/view/checklist-rule-20-pdf
2. Linklater A. Monitoring the critically ill small animal using the Rule of 20. Merck Veterinary Manual. November 2020. Accessed November 14, 2024. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/emergency-medicine-and-critical-care/monitoring-the-critically-ill-small-animal/monitoring-the-critically-ill-small-animal-using-the-rule-of-20