A Rapid Response Team (RRT) is a dedicated group of healthcare professionals within a hospital setting. This team intervenes swiftly when a patient’s condition declines. Their goal is to provide immediate assessment and intervention to prevent further deterioration. RRTs proactively bring advanced medical expertise directly to the patient’s bedside.
Why Rapid Response Teams Exist
Rapid Response Teams address patient deterioration that, if unaddressed, can lead to serious complications. Many patients exhibit warning signs, such as abnormal vital signs, hours before experiencing adverse clinical outcomes like cardiac arrest. Before RRTs, hospitals primarily relied on “Code Blue” teams, which respond only after a patient experiences cardiopulmonary arrest. This reactive approach often meant interventions occurred too late.
RRTs aim to identify and intervene before a full medical emergency occurs. They bring critical care expertise directly to the patient’s location, rather than waiting for transfer to an intensive care unit. This proactive strategy stabilizes patients early, potentially reducing intensive care admissions. The implementation of RRTs has been associated with a reduction in cardiac arrests outside the ICU.
Who Makes Up a Rapid Response Team
While composition varies by hospital, RRTs typically include a core multidisciplinary structure. An RRT usually includes an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse, a respiratory therapist, and a physician. The ICU nurse often leads, bringing specialized knowledge of critically ill patients and rapid assessment skills.
Respiratory therapists play an important role, particularly as many patient deteriorations involve respiratory distress, assisting with airway management and breathing support. A physician, often an intensivist or hospitalist, provides medical direction and can order tests or administer medications at the bedside. In some hospitals, pharmacists and other allied health professionals may also be part of the team, offering additional specialized expertise.
When and How a Team is Activated
Rapid Response Teams are activated by specific criteria, often based on early warning signs of patient deterioration. These signs include significant changes in vital signs such as heart rate (e.g., over 140 or under 40 beats per minute), respiratory rate (e.g., over 28 or under 8 breaths per minute), or systolic blood pressure (e.g., over 180 or under 90 mmHg). A drop in oxygen saturation below 90% despite supplemental oxygen, acute changes in mental status, or very low urine output (less than 50 cc over 4 hours) can also trigger a call.
Any staff member, including nurses and doctors, can initiate an RRT call if concerned about a patient’s condition, even if specific criteria are not yet met. Patients and their family members are also empowered to activate the RRT if they perceive a worsening condition or feel their concerns are not being addressed. This family-activated process, sometimes known as “Condition HELP,” provides an additional safety net. The activation process typically involves calling a specific internal phone number or using an overhead paging system to quickly alert the team to the patient’s location.
How a Rapid Response Team Operates
Once activated, the Rapid Response Team quickly arrives at the patient’s bedside, typically within minutes. Their immediate priority is a rapid, comprehensive assessment of the patient’s condition. This assessment involves reviewing recent vital signs, medical history, current medications, and performing a physical examination.
Following assessment, the RRT identifies the underlying problem causing the patient’s decline. They implement immediate interventions to stabilize the patient, such as administering medications, initiating respiratory support (e.g., oxygen or nebulizer treatments), or ordering urgent diagnostic tests (e.g., blood work or X-rays). The RRT has standing orders to initiate these treatments without waiting for the primary physician, allowing for prompt action.
Beyond direct patient care, the RRT educates the primary care team, offering guidance in managing complex patient situations. They collaborate to develop a plan for continued care, which might involve transferring the patient to a higher level of care (e.g., the intensive care unit) or continuing close monitoring on the current unit with adjusted treatment. This approach ensures patients receive timely, specialized care, helping avert potential crises and improve outcomes.