Rapid Response Team for Families

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all!

My director just informed us today that after the JCAHO inspection they're rolling out a new rapid response team whereby the family of a pt calls the rapid response if they feel they are not being listened to and their family member is decompensating. I know this is being used in a lot of facilities, I'm curious what your experiences have been - both positive and negative?

If hospital administrations had a good track-record of supporting their staff against abusive and irrational patients and visitors, I'd really have no problem with this type of program. But given the current climate of going overboard with "customer service", Press-Ganey, etc., I've simply lost trust in them; that's why my gut tells me this will be abused to the detriment of the nursing staff. I hope I'm wrong.

Here's another example of a post where it's too darned bad you can't say "Thanks" more than once.

Sorry, I have no faith in the sensibility of families and even less in administrators.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
Woody--read my first post. I talked with my husbands nurses, pointed out his going downhill, complained about my concerns when my husband was in the hospital, discussed it with his MD and was told "You are making him not trust his caregivers." He died. If I could have called a RRT and had an independent assessment of his condition and my concerns addressed, he would still be alive.

Yes, your husband would most likely still be alive. But my remark was not directed towards you or your situation. It is directed at the nurses who view family members as someone who is there to borther them. To take up their time with silly request. When I worked, we had families that were a pain. But we frequently held informal meetings trying to determine why and what we could do.

And if a doctor had said to me what yours did, I would tell him, no I don't trust them. I feel I have made valid observations and reported them. And are being ignored. And I want something done. now. And I don't care whose toes I step on, it is my husband, mother, father, sister brother, child.

Woody:balloons:

Woody

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The problem is, a lot of my time is taken up with requests for sodas, blankets, portable phones, etc. Rarely have I had a family member call me to the bedside because of legitimate concern. But if I don't "snap to" with meeting those requests, fits are thrown and admin. show up.

I shudder to think what would happen if these families had the option of calling their own "codes."

Yes, pt. comfort is important. But sometimes I actually am busy doing real patient care and can't quite get that Coke right this second. Sorry, mate.

Yes, your husband would most likely still be alive. But my remark was not directed towards you or your situation. It is directed at the nurses who view family members as someone who is there to borther them. To take up their time with silly request. When I worked, we had families that were a pain. But we frequently held informal meetings trying to determine why and what we could do.

And if a doctor had said to me what yours did, I would tell him, no I don't trust them. I feel I have made valid observations and reported them. And are being ignored. And I want something done. now. And I don't care whose toes I step on, it is my husband, mother, father, sister brother, child.

Woody:balloons:

Woody

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Specializes in MICU/SICU.

Did anyone in this thread actually hear the Josie King story? Our hospital calls it condition H. Yes, it is abused, but not much. If a death like Josie's can be prevented because the nurse or doctor is a dumb ***, it's all worth it. Who cares if an administrator, a house officer, a social worker or whoever gets called to a patient's room 20 times a day. Joint Commision is insisting that families are educated on their right to speak up when they feel they are not getting proper care. Good. No sweat off my back. It's not intended to have the families tattling on the good nurses!! If Josie's Mom had been able to call for help, she'd be alive. It is heartbreaking to hear that story.

Actually, working in ICU with many post-arrest patients, I have had family members tell me, "I've been telling the nurse all day..." Well, what do you say to that? I'm sorry that you are smarter than your husband's caregivers ma'am? I'm not blaming nurses, sometimes it's the doctor who isn't listening to the nurses!! RRTs have put an end to that in our hospital.

And a word about rapid response team, while I'm at it. We respond to these, along with the intensivist, RT, FP resident. Sometimes, the RNs on the floor can't get help. They know their patient is decompensating, but the MD is either too stupid, arrogant, or ignorant to help. They call, we help. Usually they need help. Sometimes, they actually should have called a code. Sometimes the poor nurse already has the FP resident, and 2 surgery residents in the room with her, and they don't know what to do. Sometimes the calls are stupid, but then we all leave, and let the FP resident deal with it. It's no big deal, and it makes the nurses feel like they have backup. I think it helps keep everyone in the hospital on their toes.

The one thing that does burn my hide is when the RN says, the attending, Dr. X was just here, he said he doesn't have time, that I should call an RRT. What????? Isn't that against some sort of MD oath? You can just walk away from your patient in respiratory distress?

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

The one thing that does burn my hide is when the RN says, the attending, Dr. X was just here, he said he doesn't have time, that I should call an RRT. What????? Isn't that against some sort of MD oath? You can just walk away from your patient in respiratory distress?

I'd report that to the Medical Director and/or Risk Management.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.

When a family member calls a doctor or a hospital administrator, with a ridiculous complaint, don't you think the doctor or administrator has enough sense to realize that the complaint is warrentless? And enough sense to tell them their call is out of bounds? I've been on both sides of the fence. And whenever a family has made an unwarranted request, they have been told nicely they are barking up the wrong tree.

Woody:balloons:

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
When a family member calls a doctor or a hospital administrator, with a ridiculous complaint, don't you think the doctor or administrator has enough sense to realize that the complaint is warrentless? And enough sense to tell them their call is out of bounds? I've been on both sides of the fence. And whenever a family has made an unwarranted request, they have been told nicely they are barking up the wrong tree.

Woody:balloons:

It's more than that, though. Unwarranted requests waste valuable resources by tying us up where we are not needed. Because we cannot be in two places at once, unwarranted calls could delay treatment for another patient.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.

I have a question. Has anyone actually keep track of the number of unwarrented, unnecessary calls to the rapid response team? I would really be interested in such a study. It is always be easier to say that too many unnecessary calls are or would be made, without haivng any supporting evidence. This is purely my thought but I believe that many families take up staff time because they are concerned about their love one. Or they have been on the unit for an hour or two and never seen a nurse come in to see their loved one. Or they just do not understand what is wrong with love one and want reassurance. Or they have called the physician and have not heard back from him.

Or perhaps they are just pains and it is the only way they know how to interact is by being a pain. There are people who only know how to interact in a negative way. It is all they have ever learned. And it is the only way they got any results.

Woody:balloons:

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YES!!Rapid response teams activated by families would help save lives!!! If there was one at the hospital my husband was at he would still be alive....I commented/complained multiple times that my husband was going downhill and the staff got ticked at me...ignored me after a while...see my first post....

Agreed.

Although in an ideal world I don't think RRT should even be NEEDED. A damn hospital should be staffed well enough to evaluate and handle emergency situations OR THEY SHOULDN'T BE IN BUSINESS AT ALL.

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Agreed.

Although in an ideal world I don't think RRT should even be NEEDED. A damn hospital should be staffed well enough to evaluate and handle emergency situations OR THEY SHOULDN'T BE IN BUSINESS AT ALL.

i agree 1000%, that nurses should not be ignoring a pts/family's pleas for intervention/help.

it's very frustrating when i think of lives that should have been saved with timely interventions.

leslie

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Agreed.

Although in an ideal world I don't think RRT should even be NEEDED. A damn hospital should be staffed well enough to evaluate and handle emergency situations OR THEY SHOULDN'T BE IN BUSINESS AT ALL.

The sad thing was...the RN's only had one other pt...they were on auto pilot after working so many 12 hr shifts (travel nurses) that they did not react when his condition deteriorated...and viewed me as a pain in the butt...

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Specializes in NICU.

My facility has a RRT and they also have a "hot line" that families can call. The families are educated on the hot line at admission. If a pt or family member calls the hotline the operator decides if it is a true emergency or not. If it has something to do with food, not getting pain meds, needing something to drink, the operator will call the nurses station and tell the nurses whats up. If it is a true emergency then they will send the RRT. We have had the hot line in place for about 6 months and I've never seen it used. We've had a few calls about food and wanting a soda.. But those are usually from confused patients that are being ridiculous anyways.

I think it is a good idea as long as it doesn't get abused. So far I haven't seen it abused too bad.

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