First "Code Blue" experience

[Jennerizer]

Today I had my first "code blue" experience on the med-surg floor. A young man had a seizure while eating lunch & he stopped breathing. His mother came out of the room screaming for help. I can still hear her voice in my head. The nurses went running to the room along with two of my classmates & I (the rest of the students, including our instructor were at lunch). I didn't go into the room at first as there were sooooo many people running to that room. Instead, I tried to comfort the mother & walked her away from the room. Watching her cry made me feel like crying, but I was able to maintain my emotions. After they stabilized the young man, I went into the room. It was amazing to see so many people working on him in such a small room, yet they didn't seem overcrowded & each one was doing what they needed to do. Even though I wasn't able to physically help out with stabilizing him, the adrenalin kicked right in. It definitely was an eye opening experience to know a life was being saved.

Anyone else have any experience with a code blue?

[dunegirl84]

What a great thing you did for the mother of that pt! I also had my first code the other day. I was caring for my own pt and learning how to work the IV pump with my instructor. The next thing we knew the code was announced over the pa system. After we finished with my pt we ran over to see if there was anything we could do. It amazed me at how fast the nurses and doctors ran in response to the code. I also saw an amazing amount of people in one room not get in each others way and work together. we only watched but it was an amazing experience any way. I commend you on your thoughtfulness. In the controled chaos of it all it is easy to forget the frightened family member standing there watching in terror.:yelclap:

[Aneroo, LPN]

Good for you! I agree with what everyone else said!

I remember my nursing instructor shoving us into a room to see a code. If we weren't shoved in there before the code team arrived, you couldn't get in the room.

[RNinRubySlippers, BSN, RN]

Awesome! YOu were indeed part of the code. It is always someones role in comforting the family! And you did just that. Way to go and Kudos. Codes are scary, I was outside a pt room for one and was in no way involved, but it was scary. I am sure the mother was glad you were there as well!

[Jennerizer, ASN, RN]

Thanks everyone! I forgot to come back & update this years ago. The patient did survive the code that day & was transferred to ICU immediately. Beyond that, I don't know what happened to him. I was a student at the time this happened.

[suzy253, RN]

I experienced my first code a couple of months ago while rotating thru critical care. A patient was sitting up in bed eating lunch and suddenly went into torsade de pointes arrhythmia. It was amazing to see everyone run into his room each with a different job to do. The nurse manager stuck her head out of the room looking for any students and literally grabbed my arm, brought me in to take over chest compressions. Didn't even have time to think about it--just did it and took in all the other activity going on around me. The pt did survive this code but I'm not sure what his long-term prognosis was/is.