Dedicated, Proactive, Nurse Practitioner Rapid Response Team Eliminating Barriers

Abstract Rapid response teams (RRT) have become an expected component in response to acute clinical deterioration of patients outside of the intensive care unit. Even with this support, many RRTs are not activated despite a high level of nursing concern that patients are decompensating. Bedside nurses may be discouraged from appropriately activating RRT due to fear of reprimand. Instituting a proactive, dedicated RRT of nurse practitioners who developed relationships and improved communication with nurses led to an increase in RRT activations for general nursing concern. Early recognition of acute clinical change allowed for prompt intervention by the RRT and decreased intensive care unit transfers.