The effectiveness of medical emergency teams in preventing unplanned ICU admissions in a private hospital in north Melbourne: an analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Critical care without walls, shifting boundaries, and bridging the gap outline the improvement and progress of critical care nursing for patients who are in critical and acute health conditions in the hospital outside of ICU. Patients acuity in the wards are increasing and the patients coming out of the ICU are more complex and challenging, MET have been introduced to manage unstable patients in the wards, with the aim of preventing further deterioration. Aim: Evaluate the effectiveness of the MET in reducing the rates of unplanned ICU admissions following a MET call. Background: The hospital has a 24-hour MET capable of delivering specialised, timely emergency assistance to patients whose condition is deteriorating. Methods: Systematic review of all MET call data from 2016-2018 was undertaken. A total of 873 MET call data was analysed and evaluated. Outcomes Forty-one percent of the MET calls occurred during the hours of 0800-1800, 29.66% from 1800-2400 and 29.32% during 0000-0800. In 2016 the MET attended 320 calls, followed by 286 in 2017 and 267 in 2018, there seemed to be a decline in the number of calls, the average time that the team spent on each call has increased from an average of 34 mins in 2016 to 46.24 in 2017 and 51.2. Two died in ICU, one in the wards and seven patient resuscitations were altered. In 2016, 14.38% of MET call patients were previously discharged from ICU; 16% in 2017 and 23.97% in 2018. Thirty-seven patients were admitted to ICU in 2016 whilst only 36 patients were readmitted in 2017 and 26 in 2018. Conclusions There are different ways of measuring the effectiveness of the MET; our data showed a decrease in unplanned ICU admissions following a MET call in the last 3 years, further studies are needed to determine if this result is significant.