Stollery’s rapid response team gives power to parents
December 6, 2010
EDMONTON – Parents now have an extra resource if they are concerned their child’s condition is rapidly changing with the establishment of the province’s first family-activated pediatric rapid response team at the Stollery Children’s Hospital.
“Parents know their children and will often see a change in their child before our monitoring equipment does. We have to respect that,” said Dr. Jon Duff, a pediatric intensivist at the Stollery.
Now when parents have a nagging feeling that something isn’t right, they can call for an immediate assessment by a rapid response team, officially dubbed the Rap Team, which consists of a nurse and respiratory therapist. The team is available 24/7.
While many hospitals have rapid response teams, most can only be triggered by a bedside nurse. Stollery’s team is one of the few in Canada that allows parents, either on their own or in consultation with staff or physicians, to call for the team.
The team has been activated about 70 times since the service began last May and Dr. Duff said the response from parents has been resoundingly positive.
“Families almost never call unless something is wrong,” he said. “They have a real respect for the system. Even in cases where the team is called and the child is found to be fine, it presents an educational opportunity which can help reassure parents. This service is one way Alberta Health Services is fulfilling its commitment to family-centred care.”
This past October, Dustin McConnell and Nancy Sanftleben of Fort McMurray called in the Rap Team when they suspected something was wrong with their son, Boston, then 10 months old.
Boston arrived at the Stollery after being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. One morning he was very unsettled, unusual for a boy who mom describes as “a very content little guy.” He continued to scream even as his parents tried to soothe him.
“We knew something was wrong,” said Sanftleben.
Following an assessment by the Rap Team, Boston was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit where he remained for five days. The boy is now doing well and was discharged from the hospital in last month.
“It is a good thing to have our voices’ heard,” said Sanftleben. “The doctors and nurses have their expertise and, as parents, we know our son the best.”
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than 3.7 million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
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