Ugh-worst thing I've ever done to a patient...

while working a case in the cath lab, my (unbelievably hairy) patient went in to VF after an RCA injection. back then we had these old school defibrillators and for some reason the hospital opted to go with these orange electroconductive pads (not defib pads) instead of the goop. these pads looked a lot like the american cheese slices, anyway, they were just as difficult to open. back to my story, guy goes into VF, i get the paddles and the pads, i try to open the pads, the package opens weird, making it nearly impossible to open while holding the paddles. so i ditch the pads and shock the patient with the paddles without the pads. good news is that the pt's in sinus, bad news is that the shock produces a puff of smoke and 1st degree burns... not to mention the smell of singed hair that lasted the whole day.

I've broken ribs during CPR before. It's a terrible feeling. And of course you cringe every time you have to do another compression after you know you've already broken at least one rib. Lucky for you, your pt lived. Unfortunately, the last one I had to do CPR on did not make it despite my best efforts and that of my fellow nurses who were helping with the code.

Did the patient live? I know it was devastating to experience this, but they do mention in CPR classes that this can happen. It doesn't make us feel any better, but, you did all that you were trained to do to help this person.

i have never had an experience like this one, you won't forget it soon
congrats on pulling the guy from the edge

Great job on such a great save! I once saw a documentary where the same thing happened to an ER physician. He said he was use to being caught between life and death, but not consciousness and death. In his case, CPR and nothing else they did was starting the patient's heart again and the elderly man had chronic heart disease with a poor prognosis, so he told the patient (who was awake like yours), "We have to let you go now." The patient nodded OK and they stopped CPR. I always remembered that story and now I will remember yours since it had a GOOD outcome.

I have had people revive during the middle of CPR also. It is disconcerting to say the least. They give you this suprised accusing look. Good luck and God bless you good work.

Dang girl - if I ever need CPR I wat you to do it! Awesome job! No need to feel badly about effective CPR. You should be patting yourself on the back!

Remember, what he saw when he was looking was you saving his life.
Good job, don't feel bad. I'm sure if you asked him if he'd rather have the pain of a few broken ribs, or be dead, he'd choose the pain.
~Jen

When I was working as a paramedic we came to an eye doctor's office for a lady who went unconscious after receiving IV medication. She was in cardiac arrest (PEA/Rapid A-fib) from a hypotensive reaction so we had to start CPR on her and intubate her while we gave her fluids. I'm sure I broke one of her ribs while doing CPR and after about 1 liter of fluid she had a BP and was awake and breathing but now the poor woman had a tube in her throat and at least 1 broken rib. Not what you'd expect during a visit to the eye doctor. Fortunately, most people forgive you when you save their life. Good job!