Have you ever performed CPR? Results?:

[SuzieVN]

I don't know how to insert a poll tool, but here's my story. LTC, shift change, I went looking for the day nurse. She said "I'm in here!", so I entered the room. As soon as she pulled back the curtain (she had started and was doing CPR on a patient), she 'pushed' me towards the dead patient, and said "I have to go to the bathroom- and this lady needs CPR!". So, I started CPR myself, and had a CNA call 911. But the lady had been dead so long she was cold- I didn't have any time to evaluate what was going on. Yes, she died. Only time I've done CPR.

My brother was an RN, in Philly. Walking home, he came upon a man that had been shot, and the police were present. He noticed the man was not being attended to, so he ran under the yellow crime scene tape, determined that the fallen man was alive and bleeding out and needed CPR, and started CPR. The police told him to get back out of the scene, he told them "I'm a nurse- he needs CPR!". My brother was arrested for 'disorderly conduct' and 'disobeying the orders of a peace officer', and the man bled to death. The charges were dismissed, but my brother never got over that experience.

[eatmysoxRN, ASN, RN]

I've been involved in a few very successful codes where the patient walked out after a bout in the unit.

It's the others that are hard. I've never seen one that was successful when CPR was initiated after the patient was already gone for an unknown amount of time but they were already cold. I've seen them come in and we work on them for a while but they ultimately keep coding until we give up.

Pedi codes hurt me so much. I've only seen 3 but none were successful although we coded each for atleast an hour, if not more. They felt like forever and no one wanted to stop.

~ No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent -Eleanor Roosevelt ~

[FurBabyMom, MSN, RN]

Have I performed CPR? Yeah. Multiple times. I feel like it's a mixed bag - you remember the bad outcomes more than the so/so outcomes. I have not personally had a code I've been in at work result in no lasting damage or some miracle story. If I had, I'm sure I would have a different opinion, as I'm sure the good would stand out along with the bad.

While I was in nursing school, I worked in an academic, state university system, level I trauma center. I was in the float pool, and went to basically any unit. As such, unless the code/rapid response teams knew what the outcomes were, I didn't know. There were two codes on med surg units I worked, outcome unknown save for the ICU transfer. I worked several on nights in the ICUs when I was assigned there. I also helped with the trauma arrests and/or other arrests in the ED when assigned there. There were more than I can remember... Outcomes I can't speak to because I'd go to a unit for 4, 8 or 12 hours and not go back for another few months... One night we worked on a patient for about 3 hours in the trauma bay, got stable enough to transport to STICU at about 0700. Patient didn't even make it until 0720 before coding again...

My first code as an RN? One of my patients, their spouse went asystolic. My facility's policy was anyone found 'down' without a pulse or spontaneous respirations (visitors, patients, staff) was a code. This was especially hard. We were coding an elderly VISITOR, in the hallway (no empty rooms on our unit) with very little medical information about them. Patient was transferred to ICU by way of the cath lab. 10 days on a vent, successfully weaned from the vent. During the ICU stay, the docs ran testing that showed the patient had metastatic cancer all over their body, plus an anoxic brain injury greatly changing quality of life expectations. The family made the patient a DNR/DNI, and elected comfort care only and the transfer center moved the patient out of ICU to our unit so both family members were on the same unit. The one we coded died about a week or 10 days after becoming comfort care only.

The second code I was in as an RN? Equally bad. During lunch time, one of my coworkers went in to check her patient (A bed's) blood sugar for a lunchtime insulin dose. She peeked around the curtain to B bed, and noticed the patient not breathing... Yeah. We worked for over 45 minutes, the attending was contacting family to request permission to withdraw, and there were finally enough ACLS drugs in the patient's system - we got a rhythm back. Patient went to ICU and was dead (after two more codes) by 11pm.

On the other hand, it has been successful a few times that I know of (all the ones that come to mind have been respiratory depression/cessation and/or over sedation). I also worked with a coworker who survived being coded and the fact she was coded helped get her an accurate diagnosis and a solution. She remembers all of it... But she's proof that it can work and work well!

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

I tried to guesstimate recently and figured I have cared for somewhere around 30,000 patients in my career. I remember about 3 of them, and even those three, I've no idea what's become of them. I don't believe that this is a reflection of my compassion or some peculiar lack thereof. I simply do not get emotionally involved in my job. It is a job. I'm good at it, exceptionally good actually. And then I go home and leave the job at the door. It's just a job. If I made widgets, I wouldn't spend a lot of time thinking about widget # 10,544 and where it ended up. Nor do I spend much time thinking about the 10,544th patient I ever took care of and wondering what became of him/her. I doubt they think of me either, lol. Our paths crossed for a few hours. They moved on (unless they died) and so have I. That neither of us was profoundly changed by the experience is not indicative of character flaw.

I'm sorry for your loss, OP. The first post didn't indicate your brother took his life. That can be devastating to loved ones left behind.

My opinion regarding his actions in that scenario is unchanged, however. Will respectfully leave it at that.

[stephanie.]

Hundreds of times. I am not sure if any survived (and by survived I mean 30 days), maybe one or two over the years. I really don't remember. I never kept track of that sort of thing. Once my shift was over, I forgot everyone.

I'm not surprised they arrested your brother. In a situation like that the police are in charge, certainly not an off-duty nurse passing by. Sounds as though the situation was far from stable and his impulsive action probably put others in danger; not a good move. The victim was going to die anyway, so he needn't feel anything about it. PTSD would be understandable though, maybe you could suggest he get some counseling.

Who are you ,or any police officer, to decide someone isn't worth trying to save? Get off your know-it-all high horse and try and remember why most people become nurses- to care for others. Her brother was selfless and I applaud him for that.

[stephanie.]

When I was 20 I went through EMT school. On my last ride along I had to do CPR on a 6 month old baby boy. He was dead when we got him, blood had already begun pooling. A few weeks later I got my license and never worked. I was too young and immature to process that experience.

[stephanie.]

You're extrapolating too little from my comments, unfortunately (or perhaps I was not clear). The OP's brother, a passerby, was warned not to enter the crime scene by police officers who were securing it. My father is a retired police officer from the Philadelphia area, and I have relatives who work for fire/EMS in Philadelphia; my father's department was trained in first aid (and CPR). Several officers taught BLS, actually. The police are able to provide first aid and CPR if necessary; they don't need a nurse passerby to run through their crime scene, contaminating it to provide aid. It is likely that the police knew something that the OP's brother did not. I understand the desire to help an injured person outside of the workplace, but (like Sionainn said) it needs to be kept in check with keeping oneself and those around you safe.

Where I live police don't do CPR. It's a matter of location.

[SuzieVN]

Where I live police don't do CPR. It's a matter of location.

Good point. It appears the cops in Philly don't do CPR, either?

[SuzieVN]

When I was 20 I went through EMT school. On my last ride along I had to do CPR on a 6 month old baby boy. He was dead when we got him, blood had already begun pooling. A few weeks later I got my license and never worked. I was too young and immature to process that experience.

Wow. What to say. I've never seen a dead baby, and that's a good thing.

[carsm3]

SuzieVN, so sorry to hear about your brother. I think it takes a special kind of nurse to perform CPR outside of the job because so much could go wrong, especially in a crime scene! Personally, crime scene or not I would be trying to save that persons life regardless of the circumstances.

Haven't had to do CPR yet. However, I just took a position on the ICU so I'm sure my time is coming.

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

I haven't performed CPR like many of the adult ICU/ER nurses out there but in 20 years I've done the compression/ventilation thing a couple dozen times though always in a work scenario. To my knowledge, none of those patients survived more than a week or so afterwards though probably more than 1/2 made it through the initial code.

A couple of the most memorable for me: My first CPR ever was a patient who had been comatose for over a year and should have never have been coded. His last code (yes people, I do 'em right) was kind of a cluster since 3 or the 4 floor nurses present had never coded a patient before. We coded the patient for 45 mins and never regained a perfusing rhythm. I still remember his full name and salient details of his history.

The second one was my first neonatal code. I had cared for the little guy off and on for a couple of months and watched him going down, called the code and started compressions. Looking back I was amazed at how naturally I pulled off his clothes, found my landmarks and started in (with good technique according to the debriefing). We coded him for about 45 mins and he did survive the event. A few days later a brain MRI done to evaluate any anoxic damage determined he had vital parts of his brain missing and his parents made the painful decision to withdraw support.

On the other hand, I have cared for a few adult patients who survived arrests. The save rates are not high, but it does happen. I have cared for dozens of infants that have been resuscitated at some point (including compressions). Whether this is a good thing or not takes years to fully evaluate. I remember another infant that was born at the edge of viability (23 weeks, no one locally admits to resuscitating below 23 weeks) and had scars on her chest from compressions on her jelly-like skin. All her head scans were good and other than a rough start it appeared her only long-term problem was chronic lung disease which meant she would go home on oxygen for a while.

[SwansonRN]

Only been a nurse for a bit in the ICU, but I've done some chest compressions. I'm really not the best choice for that role unless I'm the first responder. I always have to crawl onto bed with the patient or stand on a chair. Usually we get the men to do it :)

The other day I had a surprise vfibber, did a few compressions and then zapped her back into sinus within a few seconds. That was a cool feeling!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Good point. It appears the cops in Philly don't do CPR, either?

They do.

I know officers that were ready to work on me when I had a major medical incident; as well as a 10-yr old boy shot in the head. Their efforts of saving his life was enormous. He was able to graduate high school, in college, has an anti-violence organization...I had the chance to work with him professionally and assist with his anti-violence efforts. His only residual effects are seizures from the bullet.

As for my incident, they were able to stabilize me while EMS arrived. I was awake, in shock, fought against unconsciousness. They were very prompt in assisting me.