[Sueilp]

Our hospital has been using the RRT for about 3 years I think. It is like Tina said about her hospital - there is no real set policy on it...but all the staff know what their role is when there is one called. If I am the shift leader i dont get involved - I look after the nurse's other pt's while she is dealing the RRT, unless I am needed in the room which I was a couple of weeks ago when we found a Pt with a B/P of 62/38 and unresposive and the Pt's nurse went to pieces...(she is a new nurse and needed a lot of guidance but she did get through it)

We just call the RRT if we find a Pt unresponsive, or their vitals are dnagerously low or there is something just not right...no specific tool to go by really. But I do like the idea of Mews - might look into that (Thanks Tina)

The hospital have determined that Code Blue's have been cut in half at the very least.They had one last night - we heard a RRT being called on another floor and within 5 minutes it had turned into a code blue - thankfully the Pt survived and is on ICU.
Things have changed a little in the last month...the RRT used to be able to give Nitro and Narcan without an order from a Doctor, but now they need an order which means speed is of the essence.....

I like the RRT and they always stress if something isnt right with your Pt and you cant put your finger on it then call, between all the team members that come up someone can figure out what is going on.

We also have a Stroke alert and have certain symptoms that occur we call the RRT and say Stroke alert - that appears to be working well too.

[LKG6]

We call it Rapid Assessment Team. They've given us a card that I keep on my badge holder behind my ID card. This RAT card has guidelines for calling the team. For example, call if HR <40 or >130, SBP <90, RR <8 or >30, etc. I work on a low risk postpartum floor so I have never seen them there. But I do know that an RN and RT person answer the call and they build up their team as needed. They get about 5 calls a day.

[dan_haifa]

We have so called "resuscitation team" in our hospital (350-400 beds). They are 3-4 ICU RNs and doctors that are even in charge at the various wards at the moment : ICU, CCU and so on. At the moment that they receave call messeg on the pager they run to the ward that call their. In every chift there are different people in the team.

[talaxandra]

I work in a tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia. We introduced a Medical Emergency Team (MET) about four and a half years ago, modified October 2004, and I've noticed a huge decrease in Code Blues and vastly improved patient outcomes.

The parameters for a MET call are issued with staff ID and posted prominently - I'm writing this at work and staring straight at one:
- threatened airway
- resp rate >36 or <6
- SaO2 <90% on oxygen
- SBP <90
- heart rate <40 or >140
- a fall in GCS of more than 2
- a prolonged seizure (usually 2 minutes or more)
- uncontrolled pain
- any serious concern about a patient

MET calls are attended by the parent unit, medical registrar, ICU registrar, ICU nurse and (out of hours) the clinical coordinator of the hospital.

When first introduced there was a tendency from ICU to question why a MET call was instigated if the patient was fine when they arrived (like following a vasovagal, for example). A review six months after the MET calls were introduced showed a number of patients meeting the criteria weren't MET called, and it's heavily reinforced that when in doubt initiated a MET call.

Patients MET call and resus status is well documented and handed over every shift change. I think they're brilliant!