Question

The nurse called the Rapid Response Team (RRT) to a patient who exhibited a reduced respiratory rate. The team was paged via overhead page. Within several minutes, team members arrived at the patient’s room; however, the respiratory therapist did not arrive. After a second overhead page and other calls, the respiratory therapist arrived, stating that he could not arrive sooner due to duties in the ICU. This critical team member did not ascribe importance to the rapid response call and failed to provide a critical skill during a rapid response event. As a result, there was a delay in the assessment of the patient’s airway and intervention pending arrival of the response respiratory therapist.

Questions:

1. What do you think is the reason the respiratory therapist been late? Is this acceptable?

2. What can the response team and/or the Administrative Team do to demonstrate the importance of theRapid Response System (RRS)?

3. If one of the Responders expected to arrive does not show up, what do you think should be included in the contingency plan?

Answer 1

Answer: The therapist was late due to improper time management skills. The therapist need to understand the importance of the rapid response team. This could not be acceptable.

The proper skill management could save 50% lives of patients with the help of rapid response team. Rapid Response Team get all the information and rapidly assess the patient to know about the disease conditions which could prevent life and worsening the situation. The rapid response team manage patient during crisis.

In the absence of one of the members, other expertise members could start the intervention because time management is important in the case of the emergency. The main aim of the rapid response team is to prevent the worsening health conditions of the patient.