RESCUE MORE PATIENTS

Improve Patient Outcomes By Recognizing and Responding to Critical Warning Signs

Studies show that a vast majority of critical inpatient events and unexpected deaths in medical-surgical units are preceded by warning signs for six to eight hours. Rapid Response in Medical-Surgical Units addresses this vital area of care by teaching RNs to rescue patients during this critical window of time. Developed with the help of some of the foremost experts in creating effective rapid response, this course incorporates realistic scenarios and real-time simulations that require learners to manage multiple patients, determine appropriate treatment, and use SBAR to successfully communicate with the rapid response team. Medical-surgical RNs will learn to recognize the warning signs of decline and take appropriate action to avoid more serious medical problems and save lives.

Impact:

Rescue More Patients

• Recognize Warning Signs Sooner
• Start Life-Saving Procedures Earlier
• Communicate with Rapid Response Team More Effectively

Improve Employee Competence

• Encourage Autonomy
• Reinforce Accountability
• Build Confidence

Reduce Costs

• Decrease Medical and Legal Risk
• Prevent Employee Turnover

Features:

• Realistic patient scenarios including cardiac failure, change in level of consciousness, sepsis, and respiratory failure
• Real-time simulations that require critical thinking and patient evaluation
• SBAR communication structure

This course is essential for:

• 2008 The Joint Commission Patient Safety Goals (Draft) Requirement 16A
• IHI 5 Million Lives Campaign Objectives
• The Joint Commission Core Measures
• Promoting Professional Development

This course supports:

• Medical-Surgical Orientation
• Annual CE Requirements for Nursing
• Rapid Response Team Implementation
• Nursing Quality Improvement Initiatives

Course Objectives
At the conclusion of this course the medical-surgical RN will be able to:

• Recognize the warning signs of decline
• Evaluate patient data critically
• Take appropriate action by calling the rapid (emergency) response team
• Communicate vital information using the SBAR (situation, background, assessment and recommendation) communication structure

Continuing Education Credit
Rapid Response in Medical Surgical Units awards 2.5 contact hours of continuing nursing education credit.

HealthStream is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

HealthStream has been approved as a provider of continuing education in nursing by the State Boards of Nursing of Florida (50-907), California BRN (CEP13221) and Iowa (272). HealthStream activities meet the standards for most other states requiring mandatory continuing education credit for relicensure.

Subject Matter Experts
Kathy D. Duncan RN MS, Faculty Expert for Rapid Response Team Intervention, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

MaryAnn Whitney RN MS, Developed, implemented and coordinates the Rapid Response Team Project for Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Santa Clara