rapid response team.anyone using this?

My hospital is also piloting this program. Personally, for my team--I work 3rd shift and work with the same four nurses seven nights in a row--I do not intend to use it. I am the charge nurse and we all have learned when we have a concern about a patient, we ALL go in there and assess. With our varied experience, one of us will have an idea, plan of action, etc. When it is more than we can handle, each nurse works with the other. Our average time, from identifying a bad situation to moving to critical care is 20 minutes. And we have not had anyone "crash and burn" in the past two years. Our crisis have ranged from a true anaphlaxis blood reaction, to tetany from a critical low calcium. As long as my hospital does not make it mandatory, I do not plan to use the rapid response team.

However, for those nurses that are new and/or nurses that are unsure of the situation and the actions they should take, the rapid response team will be a good option--but ONLY if those nurses recognize there is a problem BEFORE the patient codes.

look up rapid response team in search. There is an extensive thread on the topic.

~faith,

Timothy

look up rapid response team in search. There is an extensive thread on the topic.

~faith,

Timothy

okky docky, thanks

I personally think that a rapid response team at my hospital would be great. I had a situation a few days ago at work, my pt was going bad and I was extremely concerned. She was not responding to the staff, which she was doing earlier in the shift, temp had increased greatly over 4 hrs, the doctor was notified, he didn't come in to assess the pt, only orders given were to give tylenol suppository and check ABGs. Her breathing was fine at the time, it was the mental status change I most was concerned about. Maybe I am wrong, but would have been nice to have a rapid response team there to help back me up. If nothing else just having a little xtra support and input from other medical professionals helps to remain calm and think things through during times of emergency.

my hospital is starting a pilot they are calling a rapid response team. it is headed by a crnp. this team would respond for any patient about who the nurse is worried or concerned about.this team does not take the place of the physician, since we are supposed to notify the physician first. if the physician unavailable or they do not take the nurse seriously enough, then we call the team and they come and assess the pt. anytime the pt shows changes in airway,circulation,neuro or just a hunch that something is not right even though u cannot determine what it is, we are to activate the team.

this may prevent a pt from going into full cardiac arrest by doing early interventions.i dont know how it's going to play out, but it sounds like a good idea especially on occassions when u call an md and they tell you to wait 2 hrs and recheck vitals or do neuro checks then call them back.this could be valuable wasted time. has anyone had any experience with this??any thoughts?

They are awesome, and I am glad they are around if we need them.

As long as my hospital does not make it mandatory, I do not plan to use the rapid response team.

Hello, Everyone

I am curouis why would you not want to utilize them? I understand you have the greatest rapore with your co-workers and have a lot of experience between everyone. Are you stating that your team of nurses will be interfered by the rapid response and it will break up the group? Do you think you could learn more from the rapid respond team. Or do you feel the reponse team will decrease your knowledge and take away yur inedependence as well as your identity?

I would utilize another resource to assist me and to comfirm m plan of action. I will not ever turn away a gifted hourse in the mouth. Especially, if have a lot going on my unit and another set of hands are very much welcome.

I realize everyone has choices and they choose what is best from them. That is all right for them. I believe you would be a great resource for the team. It is all good either way. I just do not want anyone to miss information or build up resists to an issue. This team trying to eliminate any issues that concerns a patient or anyone. Therefore, the rapid response team main goal is to abolish any type of issue/s with the patient.

Buttons

Our hospital implemented the Rapid Response Team this past August. It has worked very well in our rural hospital. I like the team thing and it has helped us by pass certain bureacratic red tape to get a person to ICU when they need it. Hooray for the patient!

My hospital set up the Rapid Response Team last spring. It has worked out great. Many patients have been helped and not needed to go to ICU due to getting some early intervention. The night shift uses them the most, but it's always available. Anytime you feel your patient is going bad, you just give this group of experts a call and they're there for you. One lady in charge of it who works in the ICU said to let her know if you ever call them and they act as if you were "stupid" to bother them. The fear is that newer nurses are reluctant to call in fear of feeling and being treated as dumb. This hasn't happened yet and they are a good support.

Rapid response...not a good idea? Early interventions by a team of house experts in order to prevent "a significant" turn for the worse or preventing full blown codes later IS a good measure for you as a nurse and for the patient. Critical patient issues get addressed quicker, better "effective" care is implemented NOW, and the patient benefits greatly. I do not see how this would not be a good thing.

We also have this at our hospital. They just recently started doing this (about 6 months ago) and we have benefited greatly from it. Especially when you are a new nurse like me and know that something is definitely wrong with your pt, but not sure if you should call the doctor or if the pt needs to be transferred to critical care. This team comes and assesses the pt and will call the dr and anything else that needs to be done. Sometimes they come and you have to call a code. They told us to call them anytime we were uncomfortable in a situation, even if we thought we might look stupid. This has been one of the greatest changes our hospital has made.

The VA in Sacramento, attempted to do the Rapid Response team also...unfortunatley not much thought was put into this. The plan was implemented without regard to ICU staffing....our charge nurse takes a full load as do all the ICU Nurses....but we were mandated to respond any time called...sooooooo who is watching or is responsible for the ICU patient during this time....enough said.

There are whispers around our facility of starting a RRT and i hope they do. Especially on days when we are busy as all get out and one little patient can make the whole thing come to a screeching hault.

That would be a godsend for us to have a team to call in to monitor and assess and help with that kind of situation. I cant wait!!

One patient going bad can take up all morning calling doctors, monitoring and recalling new labs,, etc etc. All you can do is hope your other patients are still hanging in there.