Feel stupid for having BLS question (getting ambu bag ready first)

[Zithromax]

I'm a new RN nurse working in a med-surg unit.

I feel stupid because I had a question over whether in a hospital environment, you would start start assembling the ambu-bag after calling for help (which would arrive in seconds), versus starting compressions first since the patient would not yet be on a backboard and compressions on the soft bed may not be effective until the backboard on the code cart arrives.

I asked on Reddit/nursing (maybe I should have known better) and essentially got reamed for even asking.

Now I feel like I'm extremely stupid and/or a dangerous nurse for even having to ask... Am I just a moron? Am I dangerous?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

No, you aren't a moron. The morons don't ask.

Welcome to AN!

^^^^^^^ This x 243,602,402,865

[BedsideNurse]

Your question is a good one as it can be confusing, especially since we have always been told "ABC's!" So, everyone is correct; if someone is pulseless call for help/call a code/ and start CPR immediately. When another set of free hands get there you can roll the patient and get the board under them. As soon as the cart gets there attach the monitor and start searching for a shockable rhythm. RT will probably be there by then to start bagging the patient. If not, someone who's not doing CPR or attaching the monitor & dealing with the defibrillator can start managing the airway and bagging the patient. Obviously, that's if the unresponsive patient doesn't have a pulse. If it's Little Granny who had too much Dilaudid who decided to stop breathing (but has a pulse), then calling for help/calling a code and getting the ambu bag first would be appropriate (as well as getting some Narcan). :) And as everyone also said, those nurses on Reddit were wrong. What weird-o's. Thinking things through before something happens is always a good thing.

[audreysmagic, RN]

And as everyone also said, those nurses on Reddit were wrong. What weird-o's. Thinking things through before something happens is always a good thing.

If people think we're harsh on AN sometimes, they REALLY need to go to Reddit for a wakeup call. I've never had a particularly great experience there...

To OP - welcome, and definitely don't be afraid to ask questions! And, to echo others, even less-than-ideal compressions beat no compressions.

[Cat365]

Someone told me today that there were no stupid questions. (I had just asked one). I laughed and told her that of course there were but I still needed the answer and everybody is stupid sometimes.