Which symptom is listed as a sign of clinical deterioration that would prompt activation of a rapid response?

• A. Normal vital signs
• B. Pain relief
• C. Stable mental status
• D. Unexplained Agitation

Answer: (D)

Rapid response should be triggered by sudden, unexplained changes in a patient’s condition that could worsen quickly. Unexplained agitation is such a change in mental status and signals that something may be acutely wrong, requiring immediate assessment for potential causes like hypoxia, sepsis, metabolic disturbances, neurologic events, or medication effects.

In contrast, normal vital signs suggest current stability, pain relief indicates improvement in comfort, and stable mental status shows no active deterioration. Therefore, unexplained agitation best fits the trigger for rapid response because it represents an acute and potentially dangerous deviation from the patient’s baseline.