Rapid Response Team Analysis

This paper addresses two articles, Evidence-based approaches to breaking down language barriers by Allison Squires and Rapid response teams: What’s the latest? by Shirley A. Jackson. The first article discusses how language creates a barrier between nurses and patients and how to possibly overcome these barriers. Squires talk about how the barriers affect patient care negatively and the consequences of miscommunication such as re-admissions and non-adherence to medication regimen. On the other hand, the latter article discusses about rapid response teams (RRTs) and their roles and well as challenges they have to face while delivering care. It also explores the concept of working collaboratively while providing

The role of a rapid response team is to perform a quick, but thorough assessment on a deteriorating patient and provide intervention in a timely manner. The RRT can only do a timely intervention if the afferent team recognizes the need for activation. Therefore, it is important to educate the team with recognizing abnormal vitals or even altered mentation as a reason to activate the team. Many hospitals also have Early Warning Systems that identify any triggers to alert the team, and nurses should periodically review these to optimize patient outcomes. Sometimes, nurses have to overcome any barriers that lead the team from delaying to activate the team. In an effort to improve this, many institutions have set up regular rounds from an ICU liaison nurse to patients who are discharged from the ICU. This visit was done to provide education to staff nurses in areas of patient education and assessment. In some other institutions, nurses review Early Warning Signs frequently to anticipate activation of the team. The RRTs are also becoming more involved in end-of-life (EOL) events. During an EOL event, patients are not able to make decisions for themselves and the RRT is not in a situation to engage the family to make decisions for the patient either. In order for RRT to engage with the family members,

It discusses the importance of detecting early warning signs and preventing the patient from going into cardiopulmonary attack. Through close monitoring, nurses are able to promote patient outcome. Also, educating the staff and detecting early signs can reduce the mortality rates. Knowing the importance of prevention is powerful as it encourages nurses to be more careful, especially with the risk population. Regarding the EOL events, the RRTs will be more aware of the lack of communication with the family and therefore will make more efforts to address end-of-life issues with family members. The information found in the article is valuable to the multidisciplinary RRTs as it addresses overcoming barriers as well as working as a team