What Does A Rapid Response Nurse Actually Do?

I love being a rapid response nurse. I get to do the fun stuff.

I've been a nurse for over 20 years, six of them on the rapid response side, and I've responded to 1000's of rapids. I still work three 12-hour shifts a week in the hospital. So when I say I love it, I mean on real shifts, with real patients.

But if you're a new nurse, the rapid response team can feel like a bit of a mystery. Somebody makes a call, a group of people walks into your patient's room, and all of a sudden things are moving. So let's break down what a rapid response nurse actually is, what we're there to do, and why that matters for you.

In This Post, You'll Learn

• What a rapid response nurse is, in plain words
• What we do when we show up, and what we don't
• Why teaching you is part of the role
• How to get the most out of your rapid response team

What Is A Rapid Response Nurse?

A rapid response nurse is the nurse who comes to the bedside when a patient is getting worse, or when something about them is concerning enough that someone wants extra help. Somebody calls a rapid, and we come.

The simplest way I can say it is this. I don't take over patients. I only show up when there's an emergency or a concern.

So I'm not assigned to your patient for the shift, and I'm not there to replace you. I come when I'm called, I help work the problem with you, and when things settle down, your patient stays with the people who are able to give them the care they need. Sometimes that's still you on your unit, and sometimes your patient needs to go somewhere with a higher level of care.

There are really two parts to what we do. One is handling the situation in front of us. The other is teaching. Both matter, and I'll get to the second one in a minute, because I think it's the one new nurses don't always realize is there for them.

How A Rapid Response Actually Works

Rapids are a puzzle. Everybody who walks into that room is bringing pieces, and the patient is the one leaving the clues. A good nurse is part detective. The patient is the case. The clues are right there.

Here's the part that surprises people. Nurses don't diagnose, and nurses don't order treatments. That holds for me too, after twenty years and six of them in rapid response.

I often know where the picture is pointing, but I can't legally name it. So my job is to guide the provider by handing over what the patient is showing me, the pieces, so the whole team can put it together. You bring what you know about your patient. I bring what I'm seeing. The provider puts the picture together and decides what to do. Nobody in that room is solving it alone, me included.

What It Looks Like On A Real Shift

On a shift, I go where I'm called. It might be your unit, or it might be the other end of the hospital.

And then there's the part people don't always see. This is part of our job to educate as well, not just handle the situation.

When I'm in your patient's room, I want you to learn something from it. If you're wondering why we did what we did, ask. If something we said went over your head, ask. Teaching you is part of what I'm there for, and it's one of the reasons I love this role as much as I do.

Why This Role Matters To You

When I was a new nurse, there was always an experienced nurse within reach. Someone I could ask. Someone who would come help me take action. I never had to stand in a doorway alone. I had mentors who pushed me to be great, who showed me what excellent patient care actually looked like.

What I keep seeing when I show up to rapids is that there's no one left on the floor to really teach new nurses. The experienced nurses left, and now it's new nurses teaching newer nurses.

That breaks my heart. And it's a big part of why I love the rapid role. When somebody calls, I get to be the experienced nurse within reach, even if only for that one patient, on that one shift.

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Rapid Response Team

If you want us to be useful to you and not just to your patient, here's what I'd tell you:

• Call when something is concerning. That's exactly what we're there for.
• Ask questions. During, if there's room, and after, when things have calmed down.
• Be part of it. You know your patient, and the team needs what you know.

Final Thoughts

A rapid response nurse is a nurse who shows up when there's an emergency or a concern, helps the team put the puzzle together, and teaches while we do it. We're there to help you treat your patient, and to help you grow while we're at it.

So the next time the team walks into your patient's room, see us as backup. We're on your side.

Have you worked a rapid with your team yet? What's one thing you wish you'd asked them?