Code Team...How does your hospital respond?

[pepper_rn]

Hello all, I'm looking for some input on how different facilities respond to codes. (That is code 10, code blue, cardiac arrest, whatever you call it in your area) My hospital's policy needs some tweaking. Right now it is: 1 nurse from ICU, 1 from CCU, 1 from ER, Respiratory, IV therapy, Chaplain, Nurse supervisor and the doctor. That would be fine in theory, but our codes have turned into major spectator sports. The last three that I have been on (I'm the ICU nurse that goes) there have literally been 30 people standing around, blocking the way. It looks like the Ringling brothers circus and I'm wondering, who's taking care of the other patients if everyone on the floor is huddled around this particular doorway? The doctor has even had to yell at people to get out of the way so that we could move the patient to the unit. It's insane! I know it's human nature, or maybe nurse nature to want to help or just see what is going on, but when it is delaying treatment, isn't that a problem?

Anyway, if someone has suggestions or advice on how they handle these situations, that would be great.

Thanks,

Pepper

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Our Administrator on Duty is in charge of "crowd control". One nurse responds from each unit. As soon as the Code has "enough" people (which varies, depending on the situation), the Operator announces "all clear" (which means that the Code TEAM is complete, not that the Code is actually finished) and then any extra people are sent back to their home units.

Hope that helps. We usually have good outcomes and no problem with crowd control.

[pugmum]

The charge nurse on the unit (and sometimes the nurse clinician) or the supervisor on shift will send away extra staff. The only people left in the room when a code is called at our facility are the pt., the primary care nurse, charge nurse/supervisor/nurse clinician , RT, ER nurse, ICU nurse, and depending on time of day if no other physician in the building, the ERP. ERP will hand over to an attending physician ASAP. The CN pulls extra staff from the unit or float if needed.