Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.
allnurses

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.
Discussion

Did you know? "Code Brown" means tornado. . .LMAO!

So we all have these color codes, and in both hospitals I work at they are printed on a buddy badge that hangs behind my ID badge.

We all know Code Blue, Code Red for fire, Code Green for mass casualty, etc.

At both my hospitals Code Purple means natural disaster. At one hospital, this includes weather events. At my other one, I recently attended orientation, and the safety officer (not a medical person) described another color, Code Brown, for tornado.

"I think it's a shame," he said to the group, half of which were RNs and CNAs, "that these colors aren't standardized around the state and the nation, so there's no confusion."

Oh, there's no confusion, all right. We allllll know what Code Brown means. I can only imagine what would happen if they announced that on the overhead page.

(Special note: I'm in a state well known for hurricanes, but rarely tornadoes. Perhaps the new owner of this facility is based in a tornado state, and the very thought of a twister causes them to have a. . .well. . .Code Brown.)

  • Quote

    • Featured Replies

    Up north we call it poopfest 2014.

    Seriously for safety there should be a national standard for these Emergency codes. They are different everywhere that I go.

  • Quote

    I used to work PRN at a hospital that had a Code Brown. Are you ready for this? Code Brown meant bomb threat - I would have snapped a picture of the back of my badge to prove it but I had to turn it in when I resigned that job before I started graduate school.

  • Quote

    Seriously for safety there should be a national standard for these Emergency codes. They are different everywhere that I go.

    Agreed.

  • Quote

    oops accidental double post

  • Quote

    My hospital uses Code Brown for a toxic spill. Seriously.

  • Quote
    • Author

    And there need to be fewer. Code White is hostage but Code Silver is active shooter? Can we just have one code (Code Charcoal?) for "person with weapon threatening people"? Waiting for codes Puce and Chartreuse....

  • Quote
    • Admin

    How about standardized colors for the various armbands as well? We've gotten some transfers from other facilities with one color band that to their hospital is limb alert (don't use for bp, IV, etc) whereas our band with that color is latex allergy.

    And there need to be fewer. Code White is hostage but Code Silver is active shooter? Can we just have one code (Code Charcoal?) for "person with weapon threatening people"? Waiting for codes Puce and Chartreuse....

    how about crimson? Red was taken for fire, so that's our postpartum hemorrhage code.

  • Quote
    • Author
    how about crimson? Red was taken for fire, so that's our postpartum hemorrhage code.

    OMG. Not only is that confusing, it's in poor taste!

    I had a big argument with a pt who refused to take off one of those rubber bracelets -- like the LiveStrong ones, only it was purple -- the exact color of our DNR band. TRIED to explain why, he still wouldn't. Sheesh.

  • Quote
    My hospital uses Code Brown for a toxic spill. Seriously.

    At least the people assigning the codes appear to have a sense of humor.

  • Quote
    My hospital uses Code Brown for a toxic spill. Seriously.

    Well, now that could be the politically correct way of saying it.....

  • Quote

    The hospital where I'm currently stationed has code Brown for inclement weather. However my last station did not have a code Brown. Needless to say the color codes aren't even uniform in the military. :unsure:

  • Quote
    And there need to be fewer. Code White is hostage but Code Silver is active shooter? Can we just have one code (Code Charcoal?) for "person with weapon threatening people"? Waiting for codes Puce and Chartreuse....

    Code White for me is IT. Computer systems down, must write with pen on (white) paper.

  • Quote

    • Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Add a Comment
    Go to topic listing

    Currently Reading 0

    • No registered users viewing this page.

    Account

    Navigation

    Search

    Search

    Configure browser push notifications
    Chrome (Android)
    1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
    2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
    3. Adjust your preference.
    Chrome (Desktop)
    1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
    2. Select Site settings.
    3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.