Friday, August 29, 2008 8:34 PM CDT
Rapid Response team strives for early intervention
EFFINGHAM — According to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), adverse cardiac events are a common and serious complication among hospitalized patients. Since patients typically exhibit signs of deterioration prior to suffering a cardiac arrest, hospitals can take steps to prevent further complications.
St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital has done that by implementing a Rapid Response team, according to a press release. Launched in June 2007, the goal of Rapid Response is to recognize signs of deterioration earlier in patients before they suffer cardiac or respiratory arrest in order to ensure better patient outcomes.
A Rapid Response Implementation Team was formed at St. Anthony’s in February 2007 to begin developing the response process. Co-chairing the team are Diane Frohning, R.N., St. Anthony’s Medical Care manager and Deb Schultz, R.N., St. Anthony’s Surgical Care supervisor. Other members of St. Anthony’s team include Jamie Haarmann, R.N., Medical Care; Autumn McCormick, R.N., Intensive Care; Sarah Schumacher, R.N., Emergency Services; Andrea Wormhoudt, Certified Respiratory Therapist, Respiratory Care; and Tara Wright, R.N., Surgical Care. Lisa Kowalski, M.D., assisted the team in its early stages by providing medical direction and guidance. In establishing the criteria for what would constitute a Rapid Response call, the team looked at past Code Blues and what signs the patients displayed prior to arresting.
A Rapid Response is typically called by a staff nurse, certified nurse assistant (CNA) or any hospital clinical staff who is concerned that the patient is exhibiting signs that he/she may go into cardiac or respiratory arrest. The clinician calls a dedicated phone line in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), answered by the designated Rapid Response team ICU nurse for that shift. In addition, the clinician pages the hospital shift supervisor. Both the ICU nurse and shift supervisor come to the patient’s room. The nursing staff on that patient’s floor obtain a new set of vital signs as well as retrieve the floor crash cart, which has supplies in case the patient arrests, and puts the cart outside the patient’s room as a precautionary measure.
Once the Rapid Response team nurse arrives, the patient’s primary nurse stays with the patient, providing the patient’s history, description of the patient’s possible deterioration signs, and any other important clinical information. The Rapid Response team nurse assesses the patient and can start the patient on oxygen if necessary. The Rapid Response nurse and shift supervisor can call in additional staff for the patient such as a respiratory therapist if needed. The Rapid Response nurse then calls the patient’s physician with their findings and may suggest different recommendations. The physician determines the next course of action when given this assessment, such as ordering additional medication or sending the patient to ICU.
For more information about Rapid Response, contact Frohning at (217) 347-1284 or Schultz at (217) 347-1153.
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