Qualitative Study on Safe and Effective Handover Information during a Rapid Response Team Encounter

A rapid response team (RRT) evaluates and manages patients at risk of clinical deterioration. There is limited literature on the structure of the rapid response encounter from the floor to the intensive care unit team. We aimed to define this encounter and examine provider experiences to elucidate what information healthcare staff need to safely manage patients during an RRT evaluation.

This phenomenological qualitative study included 6 focus groups (3 in-person and 3 virtually) organized by provider type (nurses, residents, fellows, attendings), which took place until thematic saturation was reached. Two authors inductively coded transcripts and used a quota sampling strategy to ensure that the focus groups represented key stakeholders. Transcripts were then analyzed to identify themes that providers believe influence the RRT's quality, efficacy, and efficiency and their ability to manage and treat the acutely decompensating pediatric patient on the floor.

Transcript coding yielded 38 factors organized into 8 themes. These themes are a summary statement or recap, closed-loop communication, interpersonal communication, preparation, duration, emotional validation, contingency planning, and role definition.

The principal themes of utmost importance at our institution during an RRT encounter are preparation, a brief and concise handoff from the floor team, and a summary statement from the intensive care unit team with contingency planning at the end of the encounter. Our data suggest that some standardization may be beneficial during the handoff.