Reflections needed on adrenalin junkie nurses

[nightengalegoddess]

Okay. Code Blue out of nowhere. No s and s, no change in vitals. Night shift. Compressions. Then crap-loads of people, (all getting 'high' off the adrenalin). Then, try to give the leading doc the info. Another RN, pushes me out of the way, almost to the floor. Later, his pupils are 6mm I swear. He is smiling! I just gave up and went into the backround and took care of the paperwork post. Had good records though to document from. Then, this smiling RN says...." I saved him!"....oh my gosh. What the heck. Why is there so much selfishness with the code? It is almost like a drug for some RNs. It is disrespectful and rude. I couldn't even get to the leading doc because of so many adrenalin junkies just hanging around. Another doctor showed up and gave the leading doc the info (thank god, because I was being pushed into the corner). The last code I had with my patient was several years ago, I remember it being very calm, respectful, organized. I was pushed next to the leading doc to give all info. This time.......it is amazing anyone ever really comes back to life if this is what it is like. Thank god, I could see the leading doc was very competent but not invested ego-wise in anything at all!!! But this RN I work with!!!!!!UGH!!!!!!!!I was doing chest compressions and he actually pushed me out of the way almost to the floor; and just took over. His ego has nothing to do with me; and I am not upset about not being able to provide as much as I should've/could've.......but I am upset that people get so hot and enjoy codes so much as to think they are the reason the person has survived. It is highly disrespectful to the patient, I think........later the RN says "wow, that was great". No, it wasn't great. This is a human being we are talking about.....not a stepping-stone to make you look good. Help me out. Reflections???

[VICEDRN, BSN, RN]

I think you are being nuts! Inform this newbie that pushing you out of the way could be considered criminal and next time you might just press charges. In the next sentence, remind him that the reporting the patients history is just as vital to the code process as anything else (hs and ts anyone?) and that he actually endangered the patient by standing in the way.

Unfortunately, there are many adrenaline junkies in the er and I think they are selfish narcissists who claim too much credit for their work and are typically insensitive to the patient. They provide a lot of unnecessary "dirty" care to the patients that put them at risk for infection. I have seen them needlessly medicate patients who didn't want to be medicated and bully other members if the code team and the md if they feel they aren't getting their own way.

Also remind junior that code drugs, years of research into acls, luck, the patients own hardiness and a host of other things played a role in the patient outcome.

Ugh!

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I would address it directly with the nurse. "It was inappropriate to push me out of the way so you could do compressions. I could have been injured, and it was disrespectful to the patient and the team. If you want an opportunity to actively participate in a code, you need to communicate with the code team."

[Vaxene]

I would address it directly with the nurse. "It was inappropriate to push me out of the way so you could do compressions. I could have been injured, and it was disrespectful to the patient and the team. If you want an opportunity to actively participate in a code, you need to communicate with the code team."

bingo

[Vaxene]

i think you are being nuts! inform this newbie that pushing you out of the way could be considered criminal and next time you might just press charges. in the next sentence, remind him that the reporting the patients history is just as vital to the code process as anything else (hs and ts anyone?) and that he actually endangered the patient by standing in the way.

unfortunately, there are many adrenaline junkies in the er and i think they are selfish narcissists who claim too much credit for their work and are typically insensitive to the patient. they provide a lot of unnecessary "dirty" care to the patients that put them at risk for infection. i have seen them needlessly medicate patients who didn't want to be medicated and bully other members if the code team and the md if they feel they aren't getting their own way.

also remind junior that code drugs, years of research into acls, luck, the patients own hardiness and a host of other things played a role in the patient outcome.

ugh!

that will probably be a good enough smack to his ego that he'll take a step back and re-evaluate next time...

[nightengalegoddess]

Thanks everyone! Great reflections. And yes; I do plan to speak with the RN at some point sooner than later but I was truly too appalled to do it at the time. Too much of my own anger would've been jumbled up into whatever it was that I may have said at the time. Ya see, this will not be the first time this nurse has been innapropriate as far as his newnurseitis. I think I may also ask him why didn't he just become a paramedic since he is obviously so gifted at saving people (smile, wink).

The important thing is that the patient returned a rythym; and even the glucometer was actually working correctly at the time, and that someone actually found the manual shygnanometer (sp?). when the doc actually wanted it....even if there was only one lousy lightbulb in the room which worked!!!. Yay. I dunno. I guess I am just different. I get very calm when something acute happens with any patient. I am usually a short fuse kind of person, but when someone is going down I change completeley. I suppose there is no reason why others shouldn't change into someone else during stress too.