The Registered Nurse and Respiratory Therapist Alliance: Identifying and Assessing Acutely and Subtly Declining Patients

Presented by Nancy Nathenson, RRT and Kelli Anderson, MSN, CRRN 

Patients can exhibit subtle signs of clinical deterioration at several points over the course of their care journey. Providers need the knowledge and tools to recognize the signs and react appropriately to reduce the likelihood of patients returning to acute care or the ICU. Acutely declining patients present more urgent and life-threatening situations.

It’s critical that nurses and respiratory therapists develop the assessment skills, processes, and mechanisms necessary to identify the subtle and acute signs of clinical deterioration. Appropriate responses and interventions from clinical teams can support what matters most: improving outcomes for patients

Watch an informative webinar presented by respiratory therapy education coordinator Nancy Nathenson, RRT RYT, and senior nurse therapist Kelli Anderson, MSN, CRRN. In this 60-minute presentation, Nancy and Kelli will share successful strategies you can implement to develop a successful rapid response team.

Watch to learn:

• The value of assessing a declining patient as a clinical team 
• The signs and symptoms for initiating a rapid response, or RN/RT team assessment on an acutely or subtly declining patient
• How to accurately report assessment findings to the physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse

About the Presenters

Nancy Nathenson, RRT, is a respiratory therapist with more than 30 years of experience, ranging from ICU to rehabilitation, patient care, interdisciplinary education, and training for hospitals, clinics, and state and nonprofit agencies locally, regionally, and nationally. A pioneer and leader in population health management strategies that are evidence based, community led, and linked across professional domains, Nathenson is uniquely trained to address key clinical outcomes and provide tools for safe, culturally competent, and socially and economically equitable care.

Kelli Anderson, MSN, CRRN has worked at Madonna Rehabilitation Specialty Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska for 17 years. In her position as Senior Nurse Therapist, she leads a team of nurses caring for complex medical patients in a rehabilitation environment. She recognizes that the expertise of all team members is needed to provide the best assessments and care for patients in the complex medical setting. Kelli received her diploma in nursing from Bryan School of Nursing in Lincoln in 1994, her BSN from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2008, her MSN from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2016, and is currently attending Nebraska Wesleyan on track to earn her MBA in 2019. She holds certifications in rehabilitation nursing, vascular access, and hospice and palliative nursing.