Can a nursing student use the word "code"?

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Specializes in med surg ltc psych.

Hello to all, I had an unfortunate experience this morning at my clinical site with my patient I was assigned to. This was my third day in caring for her so I had a good prior history of her and her condition. As I was returning to her room to check on her she had moved herself onto a small couch and was out of bed. I asked her if she wanted to remain sitting there or could I assist her back into the bed. She responded and continued to conversate with me. I didn't feel comfortable with her sitting there as she had her IV line bunched around her ankle and was sitting on her line. As I helped untangle her line which was running only NS, right in the middle of her talking to me she suddenly pursed her lips, cheeks filled up like she was holding her breath, made a gutteral sound and eyes rolled completely back and head flodged back. The code button was not in an easy within reach area for me to get to and the room was directly in front of the nurses station. I sensed immediate emergency in my gut. I made the choice to not talk or ask any questions to her and immediately yelled out " help STAT help STAT, patient in distress!" Within seconds numerous staff and paged doctors and RT were in the room and she was in full code. After 35 minutes of all measures she was pronounced. This was my first code experience in clinical with an assigned patient. I'd like to know if I did the right thing first, and secondly am I not within any scope or parameter to use the term "code blue!" in a situation like this. I feel sad to have lost a patient so suddenly and wonder if I alerted properly. :(

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I think you definitley did the right thing, and you have every right to initiate a code blue. I believe it's better to be safe than sorry in calling a code, and that anyone is obligated to do so if they feel there is an emergent situation. Rest assured, your first patient is always hard, but you did the right thing.

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Specializes in Assisted Living, Med-Surg/CVA specialty.

I don't see why you can't use the term Code Blue, as long as that's the code the facility your at uses for an arrest.

If there's a code, there's a code! Dont be afraid to be obnxious to get attention and help if you really need it!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Wow, what a tough situation for a student! I also think you did just fine. Hugs, Jules

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, Surgical ICU, Medical ICU.

Wow, seems like you had a pretty eventful day. You seem to have done everything right and you did an excellent job. I dont see why you couldnt use the word code, it will definately get someone's attention! If someone's unresponsive they very well could be coding, so you did the right thing. Kudos to you!!! :yeah:

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Specializes in NICU.

Good call. You made the right choice and alerted those who needed to make decisions. Nice work.

I'm concerned as to how this will affect you personally. Did your CI talk to you about your experience? This is a lot to face as a student. Talk to someone who has had experience with this, whether your instructor or a nurse. It may take a bit of time to process all this, but rest assured, you definitely did the right thing.

Hugs.

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Specializes in Pyschiatry/Behavioral (Inpatient).

You did great. You did the right thing. I don't see a problem with using the term code. She was in respiratory and/or cardiac distress.

The night before I was supposed to have a patient assigned to me, the said patient died so I had to get a different one. Nursing Home clinical is like that.

One guy I had did not have an audible apical heart tone. At all. My instructor couldn't hear one either. He had a pulse. Just... no heart tone. It was weird.

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Specializes in SRNA.

As an intern at a local hospital we were required to know all of the various codes/meanings and encouraged to use them in appropriate situations. I think you did very well in alerting the MDs/RNs in a timely manner. Never ignore the instinct :)

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Specializes in ccu cardiovascular.

That must have been rough, but I think you handled it beautifully. I don't know why you could not say code blue, just anything to get assistance. I don't think the outcome would have been very different and it's hard to say what went wrong. Good job and hugs to you.

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Specializes in med surg ltc psych.

Thank you all for the responses and guidance. I can now officially rest for the night.

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Specializes in ER.

Don't worry about the term "code bluee". Everyone got the message. I have been known to just yell out, "I need some help in here", and got plenty. In a hospital setting it is much better to call for lots of help than waste time checking pulse, starting CPR, etc. Someone can deal with "calling the code" to the operator while others are initiating CPR, O2, IV etc.

Many hospitals use various "codes" for different situations and it can be confusing. We have code pink, code black, code blue, code stroke, code STEMI, code triage, code apgar, and code red. I'm sure I missed some, but you did the right thing. YOU got the help your patient needed, and that is why you are there. :yeah:

Sometimes we have bad outcomes even under ideal circumstances.

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Thank you all for the responses and guidance. I can now officially rest for the night.

listen to me, honey.

if you think any of your pts is in trouble, you yell out whatever word will get the attn and help your pt needs.

you did a marvelous job.

big hugs to you.

leslie

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