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The Impact of Rapid Response Systems on Not-For-Resuscitation (NFR) Orders

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Abstract

Rapid response teams (RRT) influence the issuing of NFR orders, with up to 24% of RRT calls involve documentation of NFR orders. This is to be expected as certain conditions demonstrate physiological disturbances as death approaches or such circumstances are precipitated by acute deterioration following an acute, unrelated illness. Furthermore, up to 35% of RRT calls are for patients with preexisting NFR orders, often within 24 h of their time of death. Overtime, RRT activity has evolved to be associated with issuing of other, related orders (e.g., not for RRT, modified RRT). The role of the RRT in end of life decisions and care will continue to evolve as RRT activity continues to increase and hospital wide strategies to better identify and manage patients at their end of life also evolve. There is potential for patient benefit of a closer association between critical care based RRT and palliative care services.

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Correspondence to Arthas Flabouris .

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Flabouris, A., Chen, J. (2017). The Impact of Rapid Response Systems on Not-For-Resuscitation (NFR) Orders. In: DeVita, M., et al. Textbook of Rapid Response Systems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39391-9_36

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39391-9_36

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