IMPACT OF HOSPITAL-WIDE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ON THE RAPID RESPONSE TEAM ACTIVATION RATE AND INCIDENCE OF CARDIAC ARREST IN A COMMUNITY TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

SESSION TITLE: Education, Research, and Quality Improvement Posters SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Posters PRESENTED ON: October 18-21, 2020 PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of hospital wide education programs and re-education of staff on rapid response team activation rate and cardiac arrest in a hospital with an established rapid response team. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of perspective and collective data between January 2018 and December 2019. The education program includes sixty minute lectures to educate nursing staff on the description of established rapid response team, which includes activation criteria, early manifestation of decompensating patients and the roles of rapid response team members. Addressing different culture changes that may hinder or compromise the activation process and re-emphasize the early identification of the critically ill patient. The education took place between October 1st, 2018 and December 30th ,2018. RESULTS: The number of codes per 1000 discharge days declined from almost 10 in 2018 to 8 in the months following the hospital wide re-education initiative. The percentage of inpatient discharges on whom rapid response team was called increased by more than 2 % following the initiative. To prove statistical significance we used the Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient (r) to analyze the relationship between rapid response teams calls and the number of codes that were called. CONCLUSIONS: This decrease in the percentages of codes correlates with more rapid response team calls and early identification of critically ill patients therefore transferring patients to a higher level of care earlier and involving the intensive care team at an earlier stage of their disease process. The data suggests that the education program had a gradual effect, as the percentage of inpatient discharges on whom rapid response teams were called increased steadily in the following months. . This data trend is consistent with similar studies that show that the maximal effects of intervention (education programs) continue to be effective several months after its implementation. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Hospitals would benefit from continued educational programs to remind staff about the role of rapid response teams, address barriers to calling and involving the critical care team and early identification of the decompensating patient. This translates into better patient outcomes with reduction in codes called on inpatients. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Chadi Bouserhal, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Nidal Boutros, source=Web Response No relevant relationships by Ivor O'Connor, source=Web Response