Ryan's Rule
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What is Ryan's Rule?
Ryan's Rule is a 3-step process that supports patients, families and carers to raise concerns if a patient’s health condition is getting worse or not improving as well as expected.
Ryan’s Rule applies to all patients admitted to any Queensland Health public hospital—including the emergency department—and in some Hospital in the Home (HITH) services.
Steps for initiating Ryan's Rule
- Talk to a nurse or doctor about your concerns. If you are not satisfied, go to the next step.
- Talk to the nurse in charge of the shift. If you are not satisfied, go to the next step.
- Phone 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or ask a nurse to call the number for you and request a Ryan’s Rule clinical review. You will need to provide the following:
- hospital name
- patient’s name
- ward and bed number (if known)
- your contact number.
Once Ryan's Rule is enacted, a nurse or doctor will undertake a clinical review of the patient and the treatment they are receiving.
Respect each other. Acts of physical and verbal violence will not be tolerated.
More about Ryan's Rule
For families and carers of people with a disability
- Ryan’s Rule social script 1.6 MB)
- Ryan’s Rule audio (Queensland Health Asset Library)
- Ryan’s Rule fact sheet 407.6 KB)
Ryan's Rule in your language
English language
Other languages
- Arabic 517.5 KB)
- Chinese Simplified (简体中文) 300.6 KB)
- Chinese Traditional (繁體中文) 351.4 KB)
- دری (Dari) 950.4 KB)
- German (Deutsch) 422.2 KB)
- Hazaragi 2 MB)
- Hindi (हिंदी) 484.2 KB)
- Italian (Italiano) 178.5 KB)
- Japanese (日本語) 492.4 KB)
- Korean (한국어) 503.1 KB)
- Persian 795.9 KB)
- Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa) 377.6 KB)
- Soomaalia (Somali) 1.2 MB)
- Spanish (Español) 387.7 KB)
- Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) 414.6 KB)
Sign language
When not to use Ryan's Rule
Ryan’s Rule should only be used for concerns related to the patient’s condition getting worse or not improving as expected. It is only used while the patient is in hospital or receiving care via a Hospital in the Home service.
Ryan’s Rule is not for general complaints. Hospital staff can help you lodge a complaint, or you can visit complaints and compliments about health services.
Why Ryan's Rule was developed
Ryan’s Rule was developed in response to the tragic death of Ryan Saunders. Sadly, Ryan died in 2007 from an undiagnosed streptococcal infection, which led to toxic shock syndrome. When Ryan’s parents were worried he was getting worse they did not feel their concerns were acted on in time. In light of his death, the Department of Health made a commitment to introduce a patient, family, carer escalation process (Ryan’s Rule) to minimise the possibility of a similar event occurring.
Find out more about how Ryan's Rule was developed.