A Rapid Response Team (RRT) call signals a specialized medical intervention in a hospital setting, designed to provide immediate, expert care to a patient showing signs of a serious decline. This system is a proactive patient safety initiative, established on the principle that most cardiac or respiratory arrests are preceded by subtle but noticeable physiological changes hours in advance. The primary goal of activating the RRT is to intervene during this window of opportunity, stabilizing the patient’s condition and preventing a full-blown medical crisis. The RRT brings high-level expertise directly to the bedside to provide immediate assessment and treatment, aiming to avert major adverse events.
Defining the Rapid Response Team
The Rapid Response Team is a multidisciplinary group of highly skilled healthcare professionals who bring the capabilities of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to a patient on a general hospital floor. This team structure is intentionally built to handle complex and rapidly changing medical situations outside of the traditional critical care environment. The core composition of the RRT typically includes an experienced critical care nurse, a respiratory therapist, and often a physician or advanced practice provider (APP) specializing in acute care or critical care medicine.
The team’s mission focuses on early detection and stabilization of clinical deterioration before it progresses to a life-threatening event. The critical care nurse provides advanced assessment skills and is prepared for rapid intervention, while the respiratory therapist manages the patient’s airway and breathing issues. The physician or APP offers immediate medical direction, allowing for quick changes to the treatment plan, medication orders, and diagnostic testing. This coordinated effort ensures that patients on regular units receive the immediate attention and expertise usually reserved for the ICU.
Criteria for Activation
RRT activation is triggered by specific, measurable physiological changes that indicate a patient is at risk of serious decline. These criteria are often standardized across hospitals and are frequently based on Early Warning Scores (EWS), which assign points to various vital sign abnormalities.
A common trigger is an acute, sustained change in heart rate, such as a rate falling below 40 beats per minute or rising above 140 beats per minute. Respiratory distress represents one of the most frequent reasons for a call, including a drop in oxygen saturation below 90% despite supplemental oxygen or a respiratory rate that is too fast (over 28 breaths per minute) or too slow (under 8 breaths per minute). Changes in blood pressure are also significant indicators, such as a systolic blood pressure less than 90 mmHg. Beyond specific numbers, an acute change in a patient’s mental status, like sudden confusion, agitation, or unexplained lethargy, also mandates an RRT call. A general concern expressed by any staff member, or even the patient’s family, is also considered a valid reason for activation.
The RRT Process and Patient Care
Once the criteria for activation are met, the RRT is rapidly mobilized to the patient’s bedside, typically within minutes of the call being placed. Their immediate priority is a rapid, focused assessment to determine the cause of the patient’s deterioration and to establish immediate stabilization interventions. This initial assessment involves re-checking vital signs, performing a thorough physical exam, and reviewing the patient’s current medical status and recent history.
The team then initiates immediate stabilizing measures, which may include starting or adjusting oxygen therapy, administering intravenous fluids to correct low blood pressure, or giving specific medications. They may quickly order point-of-care diagnostic tests, such as a bedside glucose check, an arterial blood gas analysis, or an electrocardiogram, to further pinpoint the underlying issue. The RRT works closely with the patient’s primary care team, using structured communication tools to ensure clear information exchange about the patient’s condition and the interventions performed.
Following stabilization, the RRT determines the patient’s disposition, which is the next level of care required. If the patient’s condition improves, they can remain on the current unit with an adjusted treatment plan and increased monitoring. If the patient remains unstable or requires continuous, high-level support, the team coordinates a safe transfer to a higher level of care, such as the ICU or a telemetry unit. The RRT call often results in a revised plan of care.
RRT vs. Code Blue
The distinction between a Rapid Response Team call and a “Code Blue” is fundamental to understanding modern hospital safety systems. The RRT is a proactive measure initiated when a patient is declining but is still breathing and has a pulse. The purpose is prevention—to intervene early enough to reverse the deterioration and avoid the ultimate crisis.
In contrast, a Code Blue is a reactive measure called only after a patient has suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest. This event triggers the full resuscitation team to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). While the RRT brings ICU expertise to prevent arrest, the Code Blue team arrives to attempt to reverse death. The RRT is the first line of defense, whereas the Code Blue team represents the last resort for a patient already in a full medical emergency.