LAUSR

PURPOSE: Rapid response teams (RRT) were introduced at Advocate Lutheran General hospital (ALGH), a Chicago area 638bed academic institution, in 2005. Our RRT team consists of a critical care nurse, a respiratory therapist and an internal medicine (IM) resident. IM residents at ALGH receive a brief introductory RRT lecture and ACLS training early in the intern year. Limited research exists on resident-run RRT activations; and there is no standardized RRT educational curriculum. A concern arises whether residents are sufficiently prepared to respond to RRT calls. In one study, only 24% of medical residents felt comfortable managing a patient during RRT calls. To our knowledge, no study has combined implementing an educational tool focused on RRT training with analysis of resident preparedness and confidence. The objective of the study is to determine whether providing residents with a booklet will improve their confidence and preparedness to run RRT calls.