Attitudes and barriers to a medical emergency team system at a tertiary paediatric hospital.

Rapid response systems (RRS) have been shown to reduce cardiac arrests in pediatric patients (though their effectiveness in adults remains controversial). The impact of these teams is limited by the fact that they may be underutilized. This study from an Australian pediatric hospital found that, despite the presence of a well-established RRS, many physicians and nurses explicitly discouraged calling the team to assist with acutely deteriorating inpatients. Almost one-quarter of nurses reported that RRS team members reacted negatively to being called, reducing the likelihood that nurses would call the team in the future. This study highlights the importance of a positive safety culture in ensuring that safety interventions are implemented and utilized to their full potential.