Calling a Code

[Bella36RN]

SO... I was coming onto shift the other night and getting report and all of a sudden a code is called to one of our rooms. I had not been on so did not know who was in that room. But one of the other nurses knew who it was and ran out the door. All of a sudden the nurse screams that she is a DNR not to touch her. I walk out in the hall and EVERYONE was there the doc, a ton of other nurses. Anyways...come to find out the Aide called the code and had no idea about the DNR status. Our unit looked like a bunch of morons. My question is...aren't the aides suppose to get the nurse in a situation like that?

[TazziRN, RN]

I would rather the aide push the button accidentally than waste time getting a nurse for a pt who is NOT a DNR, where precious seconds can be lost.

[Dad-2-3]

I would rather the aide push the button accidentally than waste time getting a nurse for a pt who is NOT a DNR, where precious seconds can be lost.

Ditto to Tazzi. If an aide came to me to ask if it was OK to call a code I would have a sit down with them after the code was over. Better to look like a bunch of morons than to have a patient arrest and waste valuable time looking for a nurse!

[Bella36RN]

I was just thinking that the aide should have been notified on who was a DNR. Thank you

[TazziRN, RN]

I was just thinking that the aide should have been notified on who was a DNR. Thank you

That wasn't what you asked, but you're right, the aide should have been included in that little piece of information.

[Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN]

At the facility I work DNR status is indicated by a purple bracelet that is fastened to the patients wrist after it is signed by the RN.

Sometimes when you find someone lifeless you tend to forget to look at their bracelets and call a code but that has rarely happened. All employees providing patient care are made aware of who is a DNR and who is a full blown code.

[Dolce, RN]

Where I work the aides always know code status. They have it on their report sheets and the patients have a DNR band on if they are a no code. I agree with the others, I would much rather have to send the code team away and apologize than to have the aide searching all over the floor looking for me to clarify whether or not she could call the code.

[peds_cna]

In my hospital, aids are encouraged to call a code if they even think it should be called. They would much rather prefer to be safe than sorry.

[jackson145]

At my hospital, the motto is "better safe than sorry". We've had codes called by registration clerks, housekeeping staff, and dietary-none of whom would be aware of someone's DNR status.

There is also an unspoken rule that no one gets any crap for calling the code if it turns out to be a false alarm. I've seen many nurses and docs start a code and find out soon after that the patient is DNR. They just stop their actions and let nature continue.

[Boston-RN, RN]

At our hospital we have an "emergency" button in every room. Anyone can push this button at any time and the floor full of nurses usually responds in seconds and then if warrented a code is called.

[Bella36RN]

There is also an unspoken rule that no one gets any crap for calling the code if it turns out to be a false alarm.

Definitely not at the hospital work at...they will hound you for as long as they see fit. It is a small town hospital and if you mess up they will joke about it for months to come

[casi, ASN, RN]

Better to have an aide call a code and have it stopped then to have an aide not call a code on someone who was a full code. Your floor would look a lot stupider if the code team had to show up 10 minutes after the person was found because the aide went to get a nurse.