by jeannetterae

At our hospital, our adult ICU takes care of Pediatric patients about twice a year. We respond to RRT calls on all floors but rarely get calls from the pediatric unit. Recently, the nurses were tasked with running all pediatric codes...physicians can "be reached by phone" if needed. Do any of your hospitals operate this way? Our nurses are nervous...since they rarely take care of pediatric patients.... How would your nurses respond?

Re: Critical Care Nurses - Primary PALS responders

At my hospital in Las Vegas, we have an adult side and a childrens side. The nurses and the doctors are either one or the other, they do not practice on both sides. I am sure that if our adult ICU nurses had to respond to pediatric codes, all he** would break loose...literally.

Maybe my hospital is different because we are a 700 bed hospital?

Re: Critical Care Nurses - Primary PALS responders

Unless the doc is a peds then I would bet they have very little experience running pediatrics codes as well. Is there anyone one else in the house better suited for it? Peds codes are not fun, but I have complete faith in my fellow nurses. I would suggest to get with the education department and maybe have like a longer PALS course...like a lot of practice...it seems stupid at the time but trust me when it's you and the baby/peds they'll be glad they took the time.

Re: Critical Care Nurses - Primary PALS responders

If there's a positive to this, it's that PALS algorithms (or at least the arrest ones) have become less complex and fewer in number over the years. There are a few basic rules that can carry you far (like, HR <60 + poor perfusion = CPR).

With that said, they can't expect you to just take a PALS course every two years and then perform perfectly when you have to bag an infant or treat a kid in unstable SVT. There has to be some kind of periodic practice (like mock code scenarios).

What about your ER personnel? Even small, rural ER's often end up getting their share of kids. It seems like they could be an asset in these situations.