From Reactive to Proactive: A Novel Rapid Response System

Q What strategies can ensure that calls for a rapid response are timely and effective?

A Fiona A. Winterbottom, DNP, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, ACHPN, CCRN, replies:

Rapid response teams (RRTs) have developed in hospitals to identify patients at risk of clinical deterioration and deliver resources for evaluation, stabilization, and transfer to a higher level of care. The RRT promptly determines the acute needs of patients and expedites care interventions.¹  Rapid response comprises 4 parts: an afferent limb (detection), an efferent limb (response), an administrative (governance) limb, and a quality assurance limb. Symptoms of clinical deterioration often occur hours before staff members acknowledge and respond to the warnings.^2,3  Interventions have been proposed to improve the timeliness and effectiveness of RRT activation, including continuous vital sign monitoring, early warning systems (EWSs), artificial intelligence (AI), and proactive rounding. The aim of these processes is to help staff members identify...