The Rapid Response Team, Essay Example

The Rapid Response Team requires the ability to demonstrate strong critical thinking skills under a variety of stressful conditions. This reflects the need for a critical approach to identify the core skillset that will support the needs and objectives of the team at a high level. This requires individuals who possess specific characteristics that will support high pressure situations and be able to contribute at a high level and as a grounding force for the team to promote calm and productivity. In this team environment, it requires a unique type of individual with specific characteristics that will enable open communication regarding the events taking place and how to prepare for emergencies in a supportive manner.

The Rapid Response Team may experience a number of challenges as it fulfills its responsibilities; therefore, the team must demonstrate its resiliency in a variety of situations (Elmer, Schmidt, Enerson, & Gusa, 2011). This is critical to the success of the team and how it manages its role under difficult conditions (Elmer et.al, 2011). Within this context, the team must be able to handle pressure effectively and to recognize when changes are required that could ultimately impact their responsibilities within the patient care environment (Elmer et.al, 2011). The effectiveness of the team is contingent upon the ability of its members to fulfill the team’s purpose (Sandroni, D’Arrigo, & Antonelli, 2015). This team must also work collaboratively with other teams in order to successfully achieve its objectives in managing patients (Jones, DeVita, & Bellomo, 2011).

It is the responsibility of all team members to work towards making a positive difference on their assigned units and to recognize the value of team cohesion in meeting the required duties (Jones et.al, 2011). It also demonstrates a need to support an environment where primary care is a critical priority as part of the framework to promote an effective response (Howell et.al, 2012). Each of the team members must be able to demonstrate their skills and strengths within the team unit and to recognize their own contributions and value to the team environment. This is critical in order to demonstrate that team members are focused on the tasks at hand and that they are prepared to manage any and all situations requiring a rapid response in a professional manner. It is likely that this environment will support a climate of flexibility within the team so that all members are able to contribute at an effective level and support the team-based dynamic towards problem-solving in an effective manner. There must also be a greater focus on each team member’s roles so that he/she is able to utilize specific strengths to meet expectations without difficulty. Each team member must encourage other members to perform at a high level, to communicate on a continuous basis, and to recognize the importance of self-confidence within the team to promote successful results.

The completion of tasks and the effective delivery of care is contingent upon a number of factors, including but not limited to cohesion among team members, open communication, the delineation of specific tasks, and the overall ability to produce the intended results during a rapid response event. This process meets a critical need to support an environment of change and a climate where rapid response is a critical priority in order to manage an emergency situation as best as possible. It is important to support the professional growth and maturity of each team member, while also considering how to improve the team dynamic, one situation at a time. When these goals are aligned with each other, it is possible to develop a successful team-based structure where each member is reliant upon the others in order to achieve the desired outcomes and to promote change as needed. This process will also encourage the development of new strategies and focus areas as necessary to support outcomes and to reflect upon the values that are necessary contributors to success within the rapid response team and the roles that are identified.

References

Elmer, J., Schmidt, J., Enerson, J., & Gusa, D. (2011). 420: Addressing Barriers to Activating A Rapid Response Team. Critical Care Medicine,39(12), 115.

Howell, M. D., Ngo, L., Folcarelli, P., Yang, J., Mottley, L., Marcantonio, E. R., … & Aronson, D. (2012). Sustained effectiveness of a primary-team–based rapid response system. Critical care medicine, 40(9), 2562.

Jones, D. A., DeVita, M. A., & Bellomo, R. (2011). Rapid-response teams.New England Journal of Medicine, 365(2), 139-146.

Sandroni, C., D’Arrigo, S., & Antonelli, M. (2015). Rapid response systems: are they really effective?. Critical Care, 19(1), 104.