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What is MET?  The Medical Emergency Team (MET) began at Boone County Hospital (BCH) in February 2006. The concept of such a team was born out of The 100,000 Lives Campaign. Studies have shown that unexpected cardiac arrests in hospitalized patients are preceded by signs of clinical instability that may occur six to eight hours prior to the actual cardiac event. By creating a team, the nurse does not have to second-guess herself if she believes some changes may or may not be taking place in the patient’s condition. Nurses at BCH now have an entire team of healthcare professionals to call upon to help them assist with a patient’s possible changing condition. The team is available 24 hours a day, seven day a week.
The criteria for calling the MET can be as simple as the nurse noting that the patient’s condition is different but he/she cannot identify exactly what has changed. The patient’s demeanor may be subtly changing from earlier in the day. The criteria can be as specific as changes in the patient’s vital signs, neurological status, and respiratory status among others. A MET can be called on a patient who has not responded to earlier treatments as well.
The BCH MET consists of a SCU nurse, an emergency room nurse, paramedics, a respiratory therapist, the house supervisor, the patient’s nurse and the patient’s physician. The patient’s nurse typically calls the MET through the Switchboard. Once MET has been announced overhead, the team gathers at a central location. Typically, the patient’s nurse reports to the team what he/she is concerned about. The SCU nurse and the ER nurse then go to the patient’s room and perform an assessment of the patient. Once the assessment has been completed, the team suggests interventions to improve the identified problem(s).
The interventions may include such things as starting an IV on the patient, asking for lab work or asking that an EKG be completed. Nevertheless, it is at this time that the patient’s physician is notified to let him/her know that the MET has been called for their patient. The physician may concur with the team’s recommendations, he/she may decide to evaluate the patient at that time, or may give orders for any number of lab tests, X-rays, medications or other treatments.
The MET has saved lives and enhanced the conditions of patients at BCH. Not every hospital has this service. Some hospitals call their teams by different names. No matter what the name, BCH is fortunate to have the Medical Emergency Team just a phone call away.
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