A Rapid Response Team (RRT), sometimes called a Medical Emergency Team (MET), is a specialized, multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals designed to quickly evaluate and stabilize patients showing early signs of clinical deterioration. The RRT serves as a mobile unit of intensive care expertise, bringing advanced assessment and treatment capabilities directly to the patient’s bedside on non-intensive care units. This system is based on the idea that most serious adverse events are preceded by observable physiological changes hours before a catastrophic event. By intervening promptly, the RRT aims to prevent a patient’s condition from worsening into a life-threatening crisis.
Core Purpose and Patient Safety Goals
The underlying philosophy of the rapid response system is proactive intervention, representing a significant shift in hospital safety culture. The primary goal is to catch subtle signs of decline, such as changes in breathing or blood pressure, before they escalate into respiratory or cardiac arrest. Evidence suggests many patients exhibit clear warning signs hours before a major medical emergency, and the RRT closes the gap between recognizing these signs and initiating high-level care.
This proactive approach distinguishes the RRT from a “Code Blue,” which is a reactive measure called only after a patient has stopped breathing or their heart has stopped beating. A Code Blue focuses on resuscitation efforts for a patient already in cardiopulmonary arrest, an event with a high mortality rate. The RRT is activated earlier to stabilize the patient and prevent the need for a Code Blue entirely, significantly improving the chances of a positive outcome. Hospitals using rapid response systems have demonstrated a reduction in unexpected cardiac arrests outside of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and a decrease in overall hospital mortality.
Team Structure and Roles
The Rapid Response Team is composed of healthcare providers with advanced training in managing critically ill patients, ensuring specialized skills arrive quickly at the bedside. While the exact composition varies, the team typically includes a critical care nurse, a respiratory therapist, and a physician or an advanced practice provider (such as a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant). This combination of expertise allows for a comprehensive and swift response to potential medical crises.
The critical care nurse often serves as the team leader, bringing extensive experience in recognizing and managing acute physiological instability. They are skilled in administering emergency medications and establishing intravenous access. The respiratory therapist focuses immediately on the patient’s airway and breathing, providing interventions such as high-flow oxygen, non-invasive ventilation, or assisting with intubation. A physician or advanced practice provider provides the medical authority to rapidly diagnose the problem, write immediate stabilizing orders, and decide on the patient’s next level of care.
Identifying the Need for Activation
Activation of the Rapid Response Team relies on a “track-and-trigger” system that uses objective physiological criteria to flag patients in distress. These criteria are standardized cutoff points for vital signs, designed to identify early signs of organ system failure. For instance, a patient may trigger a call if their respiratory rate rises above 28 or drops below 8 breaths per minute, or if their oxygen saturation falls below 90% despite supplemental oxygen.
Cardiovascular triggers are precisely defined, such as a heart rate exceeding 140 or dropping below 40 beats per minute, or a systolic blood pressure that is too high (above 180 mmHg) or too low (below 90 mmHg). Acute changes in mental status, such as sudden confusion or unresponsiveness, are also immediate reasons for activation. A significant trigger is “staff concern,” which empowers any healthcare provider—and often the patient’s family—to call the RRT if they feel the patient is “not right,” even if vital signs have not crossed standard thresholds.
The Rapid Response Intervention Process
Once the RRT is activated, the team’s response is swift, aiming to arrive at the bedside within minutes. The immediate priority is a rapid, focused assessment to stabilize the patient, confirming the patient’s airway, breathing, and circulation status. Interventions are initiated immediately to address the underlying issue, including administering emergency medications, starting or adjusting intravenous fluids, or delivering oxygen therapy.
The RRT works collaboratively with the bedside nurse and the patient’s primary care team to determine a comprehensive treatment plan. This plan may involve ordering urgent diagnostic tests, such as blood work or imaging, to identify the cause of the deterioration. A crucial decision is determining the patient’s disposition, which may involve keeping the patient on the current unit with intensified monitoring, or facilitating a rapid transfer to a higher level of care, such as the ICU. The process concludes with clear communication of the next steps to all involved staff and the patient, ensuring continuity of care.