Abstract:
The rapid response system is an emergency intervention that is organized in order to guarantee basic life support in hospitals. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the patient profile and the results of intervention by retrospectively scanning the rapid response calls in Ordu University Training and Research Hospital between 01/10/2010 - 31/12/2013. Female patients comprised 44.9%, with 55.1% male patients, and mean age was 74.3 +/- 12.6 years. The reasons for calls were as follows: 75.5% cardiac arrest, 16.9% respiratory arrest, 6% loss of consciousness or unidentified deterioration in clinical status, 1.4% respiratory distress due to epileptic convulsion and 0.2% allergic reactions. Inpatient services placed 68.8% of the calls. Day shift calls comprised 42.5%, with 57.5% made during the night time shift and mean arrival time was 1.51 +/- 0.97 minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was applied to 81.6% of the patients, mechanical ventilator support without chest compressions was provided to 10% and medical support was provided to 8.4% of the patients. Mean intervention duration was 30.6 +/- 16.2 minutes. The majority, 58.1%, of the interventions ended with exitus at the first intervention stage, 10.6% of all cases were transferred to the intensive care unit after the first intervention. Since cardiovascular events constitute the majority of the rapid response calls, it is important that, as well as the rapid response team, other hospital staff should be educated in basic life support and intervention should be applied as quickly as possible.