Question about codes

crnasomeday · Oct 1, 2001

During my first round of clinicals (med-surg), I heard a code called over the hospital PA. "Code Blue, ER, ETA 5 minutes." At the time I was enormously pregnant (due in less than a week) and I was hanging out with the physical therapist that day for observation (I think my instructor felt sorry for me at the time so she gave me a light assignment). Any way, I heard the code, and said to the PT "Wow. I wish I could go watch that." Then the PT, and about 4 nurses we had been talking to, walked me over to the service elevators, and said, "Take these elevators down to 1 and when you get out you'll be in a closet type place in the ER. This will be a really good thing for you to go watch."

So I waddled myself down to the ER, and the doctors & nurses were standing around waiting for the patient to arrive. They told me I could watch, but to stand out of the way. When the patient got there, I was trying to stand as far back as possible so to be out of everyone's way, and this nurse grabbed my arm, and said "Get up here by me where you can see," and he had me put her foley in. I was so excited to be involved! I stayed there for over an hour and a half. The pt did not live.

I was kind of worried that my clinical instructor would be mad that I went down there without asking, but when I told her about it, she just said, "Good for you. I'm glad you took that opportunity."

Now that I work in a very busy hospital, I hear codes called all the time, and if they're on my floor and I'm not busy with patients, I go.

jfordngcsu · Oct 3, 2001

wow crnasomeday! that sounds so very exciting i hope that i may have a chance like that and even having the doctors and nurses be so nice to let you participate. i have only hear fake fire drills, and weather codes where we had to get all the patients in the middle of the hallway it wasn't fun but my adrenaline sure was a going!! both of those happened at work, but i have not had anything at clinicals yet, but the year has just begun i have until may and who knows what will happen!!!

tbearrn · Oct 5, 2001

All through my Associate Degree clinicals, my instructors encouraged us to go to any code that we could. I did not have opportunity to go until my last semester, but it was definitely a wonderful learning experience. I'm one of those that learn much better by doing, so being there when they were coding someone really helped me learn what to do. I recently got a job in ICU and will become ACLS certified soon (I hope), and I still think back to what was done in those situations with the things that happened. Now, during my BSN clinicals, we are in ICU, and if we are free at the time a code is called, we go with whatever nurse from ICU goes and are allowed to participate by starting IVs, inserting Foleys, and drawing up meds. All in all, I think that the more you see in school, the better off you are.