code blue question

FOCKER0014 · Mar 2, 2011

I saw it with my own eyes. And the same thing happened to the nurse that had the patient the shift before me. Granted, the breathing didn't last much longer, but it happened.

It is not that I doubt your story however it is I doubt the actual hemodynamics. Your patient's heart was beating if they were breathing...There might have been no discernable peripheral pulse yet that does not mean the heart was not beating. Again, unless you are not human it is 100% physically impossible to breathe when your heart is not beating. Please do not confuse the OP by saying this can occur because it can not and does not happen. Dead people do not breathe...We could easily get into the dynamics of what constitutes a pulse and breathing however for the purpose of just making things clear....just keep it simple....no pulse=no heartbeat....no heartbeat=no breathing.....

Not trying to debunk your story however unless your patient was in witnessed aystole/PEA/V-fib AND BREATHING then most likely the heart was still beating just not strong enough to elicit a peripheral pulse.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2011

Esme12, neonurse was saying that the child was breathing yet had no pulse, not the other way around as you are discussing.

I know that :uhoh3: .......which is what my point was. :rolleyes: You can have no pulse and breathing but it is impossible to have no pulse and breathing......unless you are on a vent. :cool:

Emphasizing that the last few gasps without a heart rate is not breathing. Call for help! immediately!

NeoNurseTX, RN · Mar 2, 2011

It is not that I doubt your story however it is I doubt the actual hemodynamics. Your patient's heart was beating if they were breathing...There might have been no discernable peripheral pulse yet that does not mean the heart was not beating. Again, unless you are not human it is 100% physically impossible to breathe when your heart is not beating. Please do not confuse the OP by saying this can occur because it can not and does not happen. Dead people do not breathe...We could easily get into the dynamics of what constitutes a pulse and breathing however for the purpose of just making things clear....just keep it simple....no pulse=no heartbeat....no heartbeat=no breathing.....
Not trying to debunk your story however unless your patient was in witnessed aystole/PEA/V-fib AND BREATHING then most likely the heart was still beating just not strong enough to elicit a peripheral pulse.

He was on a monitor and it was flat. I listened to his chest ...nothing. I didn't even bother with trying to feel for a peripheral pulse since the complexes on the monitor went into a brady quickly then disappeared. For a few seconds there was him crying as he was in asystole...and I also got that story from the prior shift that he pulled that trick, which I thought was nuts. (Notice I'm in NICU, not adults, maybe babies can do weird things.)

ZippyGBR, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2011

hello everyone! i have a question about guidelines on calling for code blue. see ive been working on the hospital for 2 months now and im still under the training phase. this is my first time to work after i passed the licensure exam. and to tell u, i havent experienced a code yet! and im so so nervous really
so once in a while im getting pretty nervous on when to call for a code blue. now my question is...
-if the patient has no breathing but with pulse, what should i do?

unless you arein the ed or a critical care unit that has the resources not to put a crash call out - you put a crash call out

-if a patient has breathing but has no pulse, what should i do?

this is clinically impossible, unless it;s agonal

another, what if there is a carotid pulse but it is weak, should i start chest compression? if the pulse is palpatory, should i call for a code?

a do you think the patient is about to arrest ? yes, put the crash call out , if you don't think thy are about to arrest inform your colleagues of the situation , assess and treat as you find while someone is getting a suitably skilled doctor and /or critical care outreach to you rapidly.

netglow, ASN, RN · Mar 3, 2011

Why must people post repeat after repeat because they don't take time to read the posts before them?

Also, why not make an attempt to understand what someone is giving as a first person account - Most often the person giving their personal account just has said it in a way that is confusing, but not wrong. Give them a chance to try and get what they meant to say out again for you, you see, because to them you are the one that needs to be hit over the head with a brick, yup, that's right.