[Emmanuel Goldstein]

Originally Posted by AZcardiacRN

From the time I was in nursing school up until now (as a new graduate RN), I had never seen a code. Today for the very first time, I did not just see one code, I saw two and they happened to be right next door to each other! I know that I should have felt awful for the patients, but I was just so excited to finally see a code that I kept going back and forth to look to see what was going on for each one.

Do you think it's wrong to get excited when a patient is doing poorly? Of course I care about people or I wouldn't have become a nurse, but it felt a little strange afterwards.

I was just wondering how other nurses (you) reacted the first time you saw a patient code (go into cardiac arrest or respiratory distress).

Pretty much how I react now... I'm very calm and methodical, then when it's all over I find I'm trembling all over (adrenaline rush, I guess).

[vamedic4]

My first code was 20 years ago, the lady had gone out to her car to get something and she died right there - an obese woman in her late 40s. It was the first time I ever had to do CPR...for about 35 minutes (rural rescue squad). Luckily I was surrounded by people who knew exactly what to do. I took a lot from that day, I didn't freak out then and I don't now...not DURING the code, that is. After it's all over I get the chance to shake like a leaf in the wind. All that wasted adrenaline, I'm sure.

vamedic4
Maybe I'll increase my tan today.

[wizap]

I could't start an IV... I remember I felt incompetent in a room full of very competant nurses. I went out to the floor and started passing morning meds to the other patients on the floor.

[JOLLIEHOLLY]

My first code was when I first got hired as an aide while in RN school. We had just discussed pulmonary edema(and pink frothy sputum) the week before in class. I walked in on my pt on the commode(that damn val salva response)!!! Well, she was extremely restless and diaphoretic and frothing at the mouth. Well the chg nurse just happened to walk in the room and called the code. This lady's room was covered in love, she had crosses all over the place, and pictures everywhere too. I remember running frantically trying to find an i.v. tray(thinking what the heck does that look like) my mind went out the door. The pt did not make it, as sadly most don't in codes. I guess when God wants you He wants you. No earthly measure you can do to stop it, same goes for when it is not your time. Anyways, I am a pediatric RN now, and have not yet experienced a pedi code, and hope I never do. As far as using humor for comfort, 'tis very common. I had a pt die in hospice during clinicals and my preceptor said upon lifting the deceased pt up in bed, "I guess this is what you call dead weight!" Different people cope in different ways.

[fronkey bean]

Originally Posted by wizap

I could't start an IV... I remember I felt incompetent in a room full of very competant nurses. I went out to the floor and started passing morning meds to the other patients on the floor.

That's pretty normal. My first several codes I volunteered to record so I could observe what everyone else was doing. Before long I was participating and now, as part of the ICU code team I often am the ACLS nurse at codes. I try to take time after each code to look at what I did and what I could have done better.

[Sabby_NC]

Originally Posted by Emmanuel Goldstein

Pretty much how I react now... I'm very calm and methodical, then when it's all over I find I'm trembling all over (adrenaline rush, I guess).

YUP exactly me to a tee!!

[class 5]

My first code was actually a lil traumatic because the patient became unresponsive basically with no warning...it can happen ,talking one minute gone the next.. I participated by handing the Dr. what they called for, atropine etc..but when I left that morning I went home called my boyfriend and cried like a baby..I was sad for a few days..I think it is different when you are watching and curious as a new grad... but when it is your patient that codes I think the experience for some nurses is a lil different..over time I have now seen quite a few codes, but the first time was a sad scary experience for me..

[porcelina]

My first code was while I was working the DD (developmentally disabled) side of a mental hospital. When I flew my butt down there, resident was in full cardiac arrest. I couldn't believe the amount of people that came flying out of the woodwork to help out. It was my first and only code in my 15 years as a nurse. I know it won't be my last.. Nurses from the psych side came over and other people too, but NO MD. MD claimed he didn't get the page. Anyway, our resident was sent to the ER and died a few minutes after arrival. According to management at my previous employment "NOBODY DIES WHILE IN OUR CARE". Yeah right. DON was standing behind me doing nothing, ADON was out in the hallway rocking against the wall. Lot of help they were.

ETA: then we were coached in what to report. Talk about a nightmare. I will never work for a place like that again

[KMULL002]

My first code was the worst day in my career as a nurse. I had been thru nursing school and a nurse for almost a year and gone without having anyone code on me. The floor I work people usually do not code. When it happened, I was nervous but somehow kept my cool, I performed CPR until the "code team" got there. It seemed like everything was disorderly(nothing like what I saw when I watched a video in orientation). After the code was finished and my patient died, I just cried. I felt like a failure as a nurse to have my patient die. When a doctor asked me if I was okay, I said no. He said "get used to it you're in health care." I felt like that comment was insensitive but in retrospect it is correct.

[SaraO'Hara]

Classmate and I heard the page and went up to ICU to watch - then got asked to do compressions. I will never forget how his chest felt like a trampoline.

His wife came right after the code had been called and let out this unearthly howl. Classmate and I held it in until we could hide in the Med-Surg break room.

Two codes since then.... I stay calm during, and shake after!