155: Rewinding the Clock: Teamwork That Prevents the Code, With Guest Dr. Oscar Mitchell

You know those moments when something just “feels off?” That’s when you should trust your instincts and speak up because timing can completely change a patient’s outcome.

In this episode, Sarah is joined by Dr. Oscar Mitchell, Associate Director of the Center for Resuscitation Science and Director of the Medical Rapid Response Team at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. They break down one septic shock case across two timelines: first, when rapid response is called early and there's still time to intervene, and later, when the patient is already crashing.

You’ll hear what a calm, collaborative rapid response call looks like, which signs of deterioration should never be ignored, and how to effectively share your concerns with a provider. This episode is for anyone who might call a rapid response AND for those who respond to emergencies.

Topics discussed in this episode:

1. Introduction to the patient and the 5PM timeline
2. What the ideal provider–nurse collaboration looks like
3. Early signs of deterioration that were missed
4. Why some nurses hesitate to call rapid response
5. The patient’s vitals at 10AM and why rapid response was called
6. Why the documented respiratory rate might not be reliable
7. Why blood pressure can be misleading
8. SBAR and CUS frameworks for escalation
9. Dr. Mitchell’s research on delays in RRT activation and mortality
10. Early warning signs you should never ignore

Register for the REVIVE Conference and use code RAPID50 to get $50 off!

https://www.revive-conference.com/

Check out Dr. Mitchell's research here:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36349290/

Mentioned in this episode:

Rapid Response Academy Winter 2026 Cohort

https://www.rapidresponseandrescue.com/rra