The Importance Of Rapid Response

Introduction In the best of days, we see minimal action, but in the craziest of times many things seem to compound and defeat our efforts. This paper is being presented to review the needs of updating our rapid response guidelines and rapid response teams. Being a front line nurse places ourselves in the most peculiar situations. We, as nurses, are the ones who notice and document changes in patient conditions. It is our keen sense of subtle changes that can enact and illicit responses from areas of higher levels of care. Understanding the purpose of initiating a rapid response creates a sense of reassurance in that there is always someone able and willing to help in declining circumstances. Rapid response was developed to aid in reducing

There are varying types of rapid responses making it difficult to determine were the failure modes can occur. Nurse are often “busy” and don’t have the time to evaluate all aspect of preventative measures, initiating a rapid response for “help”. This leaves the rapid response team in a situation of making a phone call or two, resolving the issue the patient may be experiencing, thus leaving them feeling as though their time could have been better served elsewhere. Then there the case of the “super” nurse, trying to exhaust all efforts before initiating a rapid response. During this frenzy, crucial time can be lost and an avoidable situation may become a critical event. Lastly, there’s the nurse, by no fault of his/her own, that is new, calls for the even slightest of change without assessing the factors that could contribute, such as faulty equipment or misinterpretation of readings. All of the above factors can have a lasting effect on the rapid response team. Many rapid response team members become “gun” shy and desensitized to looming concerns of the

One process of communication was implementing in-services to the staff, including day, night, and weekend shifts so that communication was consistent and current. Many visual aides were provided, utilizing poster boards with graphs and laminated cards with the guidelines for rapid response initiation. Questions were answered bases on current literature and concerns were passed on to administration for clarification.

In response to the ICU nurses and review of current literature on the utilization of APRNs, the suggestion was meet with enthusiasm and encouragement. With the current availability of APRNs within the ICU during the day and night, aiding the current rapid response team with APRN will benefit the team and patients by reducing delays in care and prompting appropriate measures in reducing any impending critical