[scott_EMT]

It appears to me that having patients be able to access the RRT is an important fail safe(ideally by dispatching the floor sup. to make the actual decision). It is impossible for a a nurse burdened with so many patients on a floor to catch subtle signs in every patient every time they happen. This really is no different than family members/patients calling 911 from a nursing home, bypassing the staff. I have experienced these responses and normally they are non emergent and do not need an ALS ambulance, but sometimes the nurses do miss things and they really do need paramedic assessment and intervention. Much in the same way that things can be missed on the floor.

Preventing the abuse of such a system also shows great skill in the nurses ability to educate the patient and family. Really the healthcare team is not complete without the involvement of the patient and their family.

[Dinith88]

[quote=scott_EMT;2592199] but sometimes the nurses do miss things and they really do need paramedic assessment and intervention. Much in the same way that things can be missed on the floor. QUOTE]

This is a silly statement. If a patient/resident of a nursing home needs a 'paramedic assessment' it's because the resident is down. not breathing. pulsless. etc. What a fantastically dumb notion that the emergency 911 system (ie tax-dollars) should be used like this. If a paramedic is needed for 'subtle' things, it would be a stupid misuse of all kinds of resources, funds, etc.

Paramedics need ONLY be called to the nursing home if a patient needs packaged and transported to a hospital. Period.



And i still stand by the opinion that families calling RRT is dumb and likely implemented by admistarative morons with no concept of critical-care or trust in their floor staff. I do think, though, that if specific units want to have a panic-button that summons the unit manager to rush in and kiss family butt that's fine.(which not be an actual RRT...) But to take critical-care staff away from their critically-ill patients because grandma is constipated and being ignored is...well...STUPID.

[lorilou22RN]

Yes we have an RRT team, and yes families can call an RRT! I believe that the system is GOOD, but family members? The patient ends up transfering to us in the unit, most of the time bogus, but the family wants some action. These typically are PIA family members and patients. What a waste of bed space.

[squirlkeeperCCRN]

I stopped doing resource when our facility implemented the RRT that families could summon. I think it is poor use of resources. I laugh when these patients are then transferred to the unit because they needed lasix and bipap...soon enough the same families are demanding to know why their family member can't eat or shower...you can't please everyone and I think administration sees this as a good pr move. I think staff calling an RRT is legit and a good idea...families, not so much.

[JaredCNA]

I can't even imagine what it would be like if families could call RRT. How does this even make the least bit of sense?

It is a bad use of resources. Also, I can't see why a pt would be transferred to the unit just because a family paged the RRT. At least the way ours is set up, they have a protocol they follow. They don't admit to ICU just because RRT is called. The primary or RRT physician must write the transfer order.

[rgroyer1RNBSN]

Guess I could go either way on this one, since IM on the code team and the RRT and Im a house supervisor, guess what you get the same members when you call either, and Im just waiting for an idiot call, thats what everyone on my RRT team calls it when we get some stupid jerk calling us to give his mother a bedpan, or roll her, or betteryet get him something to drink, but its good for the patients that need it we actually try to get them stabilized before they crash, its funny to my teams also the trauma team lol! So if you call us for something stupid the RRT physician just might be a trauma surgeon and he might just rip you a new one.

[JaredCNA]

Originally Posted by rgroyer1RNBSN

Guess I could go either way on this one, since IM on the code team and the RRT and Im a house supervisor, guess what you get the same members when you call either, and Im just waiting for an idiot call, thats what everyone on my RRT team calls it when we get some stupid jerk calling us to give his mother a bedpan, or roll her, or betteryet get him something to drink, but its good for the patients that need it we actually try to get them stabilized before they crash, its funny to my teams also the trauma team lol! So if you call us for something stupid the RRT physician just might be a trauma surgeon and he might just rip you a new one.

I can only imagine how livid he would be.


Anyway, of note, in 2006 (no RRT) there were an average of 48 cardiac/respiratory arrests per month at my facility. In 2007 (after RRT) there were about 11 a month.

I'm very glad that the patient/family can't call the rapid response team. 99.9% of time I work with a very good crew and we can stop a pt from crashing without paging the RRT. The only people that can call a rapid response at my facility are nursing personnel. If the pt's family member notices an acute change they call the primary nurse who decides along with the charge nurse.

[ptadvocate81]

I was curious about this. I was in a recent hospital meeting and they were talking about implementing an RRT where families could call them. We have had RRT for a couple of years now and it is excellent and I know that the floor nurses appreciate the extra eyes and ears, but I am wondering how it works when the family calls one. I am a little skeptical because I work in the ICU and have families all the time that are ULTRA NERVOUS and scared to death when their loved ones are moved to the floor. I am curious as to whether there is a problem with the "crying wolf" syndrome with the families. I know it is always better safe than sorry, and the families are with the pt more than the nurse, but how often do you see an RRT called for little/no reason?

[lorilou22RN]

Originally Posted by ptadvocate81

I was curious about this. I was in a recent hospital meeting and they were talking about implementing an RRT where families could call them. We have had RRT for a couple of years now and it is excellent and I know that the floor nurses appreciate the extra eyes and ears, but I am wondering how it works when the family calls one. I am a little skeptical because I work in the ICU and have families all the time that are ULTRA NERVOUS and scared to death when their loved ones are moved to the floor. I am curious as to whether there is a problem with the "crying wolf" syndrome with the families. I know it is always better safe than sorry, and the families are with the pt more than the nurse, but how often do you see an RRT called for little/no reason?

lots of times. if the family really disagrees with the PA/CCP decision to keep them on the floor....well they come back to the us in the unit for some extra special care!!!??? they stay for 24 hours then are shipped back. it is a PIA.

[JohnW]

RRTs by familes? I think that's absurd. If you don't trust the floor nurses/MS on the floor where your loved one is staying TRANSFER to another hosptial. If the family thinks the floor nurse (and supporting team) are so weak that they can't recognize and emergency so blatant that the family can see it, that family and the patient should go elsewhere.