Exploration of a rapid response team model of care: A descriptive dual methods study

Avoidable in-patient clinical deterioration results in serious adverse events and up to 80% are preventable. Rapid response systems allow early recognition and response to clinical deterioration.

To explore the characteristics of a collaborative rapid response team model.

Dual methodology was used for this descriptive study.

The study was conducted in a 500-bed tertiary referral hospital (Sydney, Australia).

Inpatients (>17 years) who received a rapid response team activation were included in an electronic medical audit. Participants were rapid response team members and nurses and medical doctors in two in-patient wards.

A 12-month (January-December 2018) retrospective electronic health record audit and semi-structured interviews with nurses and medical doctors (July-August 2019) were conducted. Descriptive statistics summarised audit data. Interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically.

The rapid response team consulted for 2195 patients. Mean patient age was 67.9 years, and 46% of the sample was female. Activations (n = 4092) occurred most often in general medicine (n = 1124, 70.8%) units. Overall, 117 patients had >5 activations. The themes synthesised from interviews were i) managing patient deterioration before arrival of the rapid response team; ii) collaboratively managing patient deterioration at the bedside; iii) rapid response team guidance at the bedside; and iv) 'staff concern' rapid response activation.

Some patients received many activations, however few required treatment in critical care. The rapid response model was collaborative and supportive. The themes revealed a focus on patient safety, optimising early detection, and management of patient deterioration.