Things said during a code

nialloh, RN · Jul 4, 2004

I had a new admit the other day. She was in 3rd degree heart block, but was AAOx3 with a heart rate in the 40's. Within the hour, she went into torsades, and then into vtach. A code was called, and just before we shocked her, she converted back to the prior rhythm.

She then woke up, the code team around her with paddles in hand, and the first words out of her mouth were "Man, I only got to sleep." :rotfl:

I was wondering if anyone else had funny things said during a code. :chuckle

obliviousRN · Jul 5, 2004

I had a guy ask me if he died and if he "saw the white light"

I was like man.............so sorry, but I wasn't there with ya!

I found it funny probably more because it was stress relief after working on this guy and then it being a success!

Fergie · Jul 5, 2004

During dialysis a lady resp. arrested so we coded her and she came back around quickly. She said, Why are all these people in here with us. I asked for a private room. The next thing she asked was why that washing machine was in her room (dialysis machine). Maybe the code cart was the dryer? She was transferred to ICU and ended up intubated. That darn washing machine went with her.

The same lady a few weeks later thought she heard a noise as the blood pressure cuff started to take a pressure. She looked over, screamed as she saw the black tubing and with the motion of the cuff thought it was a mouse. When she screamed I did also as I was deep into a book and someone called a code. What an embarrasing day. Phantom mouse and nurse reading horror story gets everyone into a room.

Severe TIA's all the time, just the other day I was running her in another hospital and she kept asking me who that man was above me. I was sitting in the corner. Gave me goosebumps.

AmiK25 · Jul 5, 2004

I had a patient one day who very suddenly went asystole (I did check my patches and another lead btw). After we gave her one round of epi/atropine and a few compressions, she said "What the he** did you do that for?" I have never laughed so hard in my life.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jul 5, 2004

During dialysis a lady resp. arrested so we coded her and she came back around quickly. She said, Why are all these people in here with us. I asked for a private room. The next thing she asked was why that washing machine was in her room (dialysis machine). Maybe the code cart was the dryer? She was transferred to ICU and ended up intubated. That darn washing machine went with her.
The same lady a few weeks later thought she heard a noise as the blood pressure cuff started to take a pressure. She looked over, screamed as she saw the black tubing and with the motion of the cuff thought it was a mouse. When she screamed I did also as I was deep into a book and someone called a code. What an embarrasing day. Phantom mouse and nurse reading horror story gets everyone into a room.
Severe TIA's all the time, just the other day I was running her in another hospital and she kept asking me who that man was above me. I was sitting in the corner. Gave me goosebumps.

Maybe the man in the corner above you was one of her deceased relatives, waiting to take her to heaven!

One lady I was taking care of said, "Joe, what are YOU doing here?" just before her eyes rolled back and she coded. Days later, after the she had been extubated, delined and was about to transfer to the floor, I took care of her again. She asked me if I had seen "joe" in the room just before she coded. I answered that I had not and asked who Joe was.

It seems that Joe was her late (unlamented) husband, and she thought he was coming to take her to hell. She said "I persuaded him that I wasn't ready to go yet, and he let me come back."

I've also had patients repeat back to me comments that were made as we were working on them during their code. And one little lady insisted that she was above us, watching us do our jobs and came back because she "didn't want you all to have worked so hard for nothing."

unknown99, BSN, RN · Jul 5, 2004

we coded a guy who had vagaled. When we got him too, he said "Am I dead??? I must be, because I see all you beautiful angels."

sockov, ADN, ASN, BSN, CNA, LVN · Jul 5, 2004

When she screamed I did also as I was deep into a book and someone called a code. What an embarrasing day. Phantom mouse and nurse reading horror story gets everyone into a room.

Just wondering.. how do you find time to read a book? Were you sitting next to the bedside reading? I can't find time, nor retain what I read when working. But I work in critical care.

:stone

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jul 5, 2004

Our patients order meals by dialing 3638. We call codes by dialing 3333. I was off when it happened, but apparently a confused patient on our floor tried to order dinner one evening and inadvertantly called a code on himself.

Repat · Jul 5, 2004

I posted this in another thread, but I was charge one day when another nurse stood her patient up to use the urinal, and just as he finished he coded. We got him back to bed, proceeded with the code, resusitated him. As we're in the room cleaning up, he looks at me and says "you probably aren't interested right now, but that was the best p*** I've ever had!". We almost died we lauged so hard!

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jul 5, 2004

And one little lady insisted that she was above us, watching us do our jobs and came back because she "didn't want you all to have worked so hard for nothing."

That is one of the sweetest things I've ever heard! :)

We used to have this trached baby who was about 6 months old on our unit. He used to clamp down and have a respiratory arrest about once a week towards the end. We'd get him back, and when he regained consciousness, we'd say to him, "Hey little buddy, did you see the pretty light again?" and the kid had the nerve to SMILE at us, every time!!!

Fergie · Jul 5, 2004

When she screamed I did also as I was deep into a book and someone called a code. What an embarrasing day. Phantom mouse and nurse reading horror story gets everyone into a room.
Just wondering.. how do you find time to read a book? Were you sitting next to the bedside reading? I can't find time, nor retain what I read when working. But I work in critical care.
:stone

As a dialysis nurse we stay with the patinet, if a stable run then we can read or do a quiet activity as long as we are beside them and monitoring them. Does not happen to often they are stable enough to do that.