EVOLUTION AND OUTCOMES OF A RAPID RESPONSE TEAM

PURPOSE: In 2000, Christiana Care Health Services (CCHS) developed the Stabilization, Telemetry, Administration, Teaching (STAT) Nurse program to provide a critical care nurse as a resource to the nursing units. This program was implemented to support the growth of flexible telemetry capability to every hospital bed. In 2005, that program was expanded to the Rapid Response Team (RRT) by the addition of a respiratory therapist and a senior medical resident. The goal of the program was twofold: first, to provide skilled medical assessment and treatment rapidly; and secondly, to train medical staff to recognize the subtle, early warning signs of patient deterioration. We compared outcome data from the STAT nurse program to the RRT program.