ER deaths

[ToriAneal]

Hi all.

I work in the ER as a patient registrar and so far everything has been okay. Well lastnight a 16 year old came in and he was considered a John Doe because he didn't have any ID. He died on the way to the hospital and it was really sad. Well this morning my aunt sent out a text about his death and come to find out it was her step-son. And because I would never violate HIPA I just kept my mouth shut about him being in the ER lastnight and sent my condolences. When I saw his pic I did remember him from when we were younger. So my question to you guys is have you ever dealt with a family/friend death while working in the hospital? How did it affect your work? It's really been on my mind all morning because I was in the trauma room when they tried to save him but it just didn't happen. And I didn't tell my aunt bc that is a violation and it's not really my place. All answers are welcomed. 😊

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

We treated one of our former nurses and she ended up dying later from complications.

[Scroll89]

Within the last several months, I was working the evening shift and code blue came out overhead. Responded to said code (ICU nurse), young male in 30-40s, basically DOA with a huge MI. Compressions until put on monitor, showed PEA, dose of epi and asystolic on next check, called within 7 mins. Go back to the unit and of course co-workers ask about the code, until my co-worker found out it was her cousin (information on ED tracker, we watch it for admission reasons). Crazy stuff.

I should also say for the ED tracker the "CD Blue" doesn't show up until after the code is finished, they aren't to be registered until after the code is settled.

[360jRN]

Longest code I've ever worked was on a ER nurse I worked with. The only report we got from EMS was they were coming in with a female code, so when the ambulance backed up to our bay the doors flung open and the paramedic just hollered "It's ____!!". Got her in the trauma room and started working her. Shocked her I don't know how many times. Multiple high doses of epi. Used all the bicarb we had in two carts, back up box, and our pyxis. Everything in this ER we threw at her trying to get her back. Not to mention ending up with ICU nurses, our cardiologist, and then the nephrologist - she had worked with before - at the bedside. Towards the latter part of the code it started sinking in that we weren't going to be able to get her back. I finished my round of compressions, stepped back and took my gloves off and walked out of the room. They worked her for 15 more minutes or so and then called it. Two hours we worked on her, without ever getting any hint of a pulse or any type of organized rhythm.

I had only worked with her for about 6 months since I started my contract there but to me and the other ones working that night it was family. Like Pixie said there's nothing like losing one of your own.

[drollette]

Hello,

I work as a Tech right now in the ED of a Level 1 Trauma center. I was a team member caring for a patient who came in intubated, multiple longbone fractures and weak pulses. After bilateral chest tube insertion, emergency thoracotomy and a run to the OR the patient passed away. After all was said and done we learned that the patient had unsurvivable head injuries and major damage to the great vessels. I remember being interested in learning how the code could have gone better or what could have been gleaned from the situation. The next day I learned that the patient was a friend (I did not recognize the face) that I had worked with in a different unit of the hospital the year prior. This person was a big source of encouragement for me in regards to pursuing nursing. It made me feel guilty considering that when the patient was a stranger I viewed the situation in an almost academic light (interesting pathophysiology/interventions), rather than viewing the patient as a person. I have never felt sad after seeing an adult pass away in the hospital, but learning that the dead patient was actually a friend was very painful for me. It was a reminder that every patient I have interacted with ultimately is someone's family member or friend. I think that the takeaway/reminder for me is that, while it is a blessing to take care of strangers, emotional distance should not be a means for me to forget that all patients are people with intrinsic value and I should never leave the scene of a code without being aware of that.

Thank you for posting this, it is good to know that there are others who have cared for friends and seen poor outcomes.