Rapid Responses

Rapid Responses are emergencies initiated by Nursing who are concerned about a change in clinical status or concerns about patient decompensation. The Rapid Response resident [as designated on Amion], the ICU Charge Nurse, and Respiratory Therapy are all apart of the Rapid Response Team.

Page the primary team, regardless of service, at the beginning of the rapid response and ask the team to come to bedside. Once arrived, it is up to the primary team to decide if they want to take over the RRT or if care should continue by the Rapid Response resident.

All Rapid Responses must be staffed with an attending.

• If the patient is on a teaching service, staff with the attending of the team.

• If the patient is on a non-teaching Medicine service, staff with the primary hospitalist.

• If the patient is on a non-Medicine service, staff with the on call Mendeloff attending.

• All rapid responses overnight should be staffed with the Nocturnist.

All Rapid Responses must be documented in Cerner immediately afterwards.

• Create a Rapid Response Note: Interdisciplinary Note, “Free Text Note”, titled “Rapid Response Note”.

• Use the Rapid Response dot phrase to help with documentation.

• Discuss items that need to be followed up on the Rapid by the primary team.

• Document who the Rapid Response was staffed with and send it to Attending to sign.

• Follow up on labs and imaging as clinically indicated.

• Be sure to document disposition or the need for disposition to a higher level of care.