Code Blue Experiences

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Hey Everyone,

I'm interested in knowing of your code blue experiences. What happened, what was the outcome and was it your patient...I have only ever seen one person being coded, with no success. Patient was already blue before they started compressions. I look forward to your stories.

Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

My most memorable code was when I was working as a paramedic. We were toned out to a CPR in progress, when we arrived, he was sitting in an airplane seat with AED pads on his chest and talking. We got a report from a nurse on board that they performed CPR and shocked several times. When we performed a 12 lead, well...it was ugly. We quickly got him to the back of the MICU. The patient told me that on the airplane, he felt really hot and strange and then didn't remember anything. Just as he was speaking, he said, "Uh oh, it's happening again." His whole head turned bright red and he coded. We quickly shocked him and afterward, he popped straight up and screamed, "AHHHH, don't do that again!!!"

It scared the bejeebers out of me because I never had a code that talked (and yelled) at me after a shock. Turned out he had the "widowmaker" - 99% blockage. We continued this all the way to the ER.

He visited me at the station about 2 months later and we still exchange Christmas cards to this day.

That was my strangest and most successful code I've experienced.

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Specializes in ICU.

A friend working in the ICU had his patient sitting up in the chair and while standing there, talking to him, the pt went into some sort of atrial tach, pressured plummeted and pt's eyes rolled back. Quick thinking RN punched him in the chest with the palm of his hand, snapped him out of the tachy rhythm and the patient came too. "HEY! :eek: WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?"

:lol2:

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Specializes in ICU, ER.
I find it extraordinary that you have been to "many" codes but NONE of them were successful.

So do I. It's unfortunate, but I tend to chalk it up to lack of resources. I do not live in a big city and definitely have not worked in a hospital where there are any extraordinary interventions going on.

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Specializes in ICU, ER.
A friend working in the ICU had his patient sitting up in the chair and while standing there, talking to him, the pt went into some sort of atrial tach, pressured plummeted and pt's eyes rolled back. Quick thinking RN punched him in the chest with the palm of his hand, snapped him out of the tachy rhythm and the patient came too. "HEY! :eek: WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?"

:lol2:

When I was in ICU, a few of the older ICU nurses have said that they've seen this happen or done it and it almost always worked. Crazy!

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Specializes in Med Office, Home Health, School Nurse.

Sadly, the only code I've ever seen was the one involving my 11 week old son.(I of course, was observing this as a mother, not as a nurse.) Worked just enough for him to be on life support for 5 days before passing away. Worst time of my life. I was actually the one that started CPR on him at our home. First and only time I've ever done CPR. He passed away on 1/31/08, so this Sunday will be three years.

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Specializes in ICU, ER.
Sadly, the only code I've ever seen was the one involving my 11 week old son.(I of course, was observing this as a mother, not as a nurse.) Worked just enough for him to be on life support for 5 days before passing away. Worst time of my life. I was actually the one that started CPR on him at our home. First and only time I've ever done CPR. He passed away on 1/31/08, so this Sunday will be three years.

I am so sorry for your loss :crying2:

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Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.
Sadly, the only code I've ever seen was the one involving my 11 week old son.(I of course, was observing this as a mother, not as a nurse.) Worked just enough for him to be on life support for 5 days before passing away. Worst time of my life. I was actually the one that started CPR on him at our home. First and only time I've ever done CPR. He passed away on 1/31/08, so this Sunday will be three years.

I'm so sorry LACA. I could not even imagine. My heart goes out to you.

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Specializes in CT stepdown, hospice, psych, ortho.

My first patient ever was an elderly lady ithat had been shocked out of some funky ventricular rhythm less than 24 hours earlier. I wasn't there for the code (it was my first day on the floor) but she insisted on doing her own bed bath in the ICU and would only let me get her back. What a tough old bird :)

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Specializes in CT stepdown, hospice, psych, ortho.

I missed this one as well but a coworker of mine was working stepdown when a patient fell out in the bathroom in Torsades. She quick turned on his temporary pacer and cranked it up. Lucky for him it worked and started to capture. I wish I had been there for that one because if there hadn't been witnesses I'd have sworn she was making it up. God bless her, I wouldn't have even thought about the pacer. Happy ending because I eventually discharged him to home but I can't remember how long after his code that happened.

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Specializes in Cardiac Cath Lab, LTC.
Sadly, the only code I've ever seen was the one involving my 11 week old son.(I of course, was observing this as a mother, not as a nurse.) Worked just enough for him to be on life support for 5 days before passing away. Worst time of my life. I was actually the one that started CPR on him at our home. First and only time I've ever done CPR. He passed away on 1/31/08, so this Sunday will be three years.

My prayers will be with you and your family. So sorry to hear this, can't imagine the loss of a child. God Bless you

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

i had a relatively young patient (40s, i think) who had a global infarct. she went into vt which rapidly progressed to vf, and despite our best efforts continued to progress to asystole. she had very good cpr, and was awake during most of the code. when we'd stop cpr for a pulse check or defibrillation, she'd go out, but would wake up when we resumed compressions. after over an hour of this, the attending decided there was nothing further we could do. we brought the family in so they could say goodbye, and continued compressions for several minutes so the patient could look into the eyes of her family, who were telling her they loved her. there wasn't a dry eye on the unit when we stopped.

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Specializes in Peds, School Nurse, clinical instructor.

While working as a Paramedic, responded to an MVA where a car hit a building. The driver was a full cardiac arrest. We did a very quick extrication including a c-collar and back board although we did not apply straps to the board as the patient was in cardiac arrest. Pt was in v-fib, shocked once and he sat straight up on the backboard and looked at me. He ended up going home after a short stint in the CCU. That is the one true successful code save I had. :yeah:

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