well last night i was working in the high observation section of my unit, finishing up my orientation to this unit (i'm a new grad nurse) one of our patients coded first medical 25 then full code blue. all i can say was wow. this was my first time ever seeing a code with 4+ years of education and working on a unit. i was amazed at how quick people came and how many people came. it was the best organized disorganized meeting of people that i have ever seen.
i don't know what i thought would happen but i have to say it wasn't pretty. i mean i know that the main part is getting the patient breathing with a good heart rate i guess i had a different idea in my head of how a code would look. since this was my first code ever i got right in there as i wanted to see everything and to see how and what they (code team) were doing. everyone that was there said it was a "good code" as no defib was needed. my question to all you is what would a bad code be like as i am sure i'm going to experience many different types. my unit has a bad nick name and the running joke is that the micu has a code cart ready to go with our units name on it (because there are so many codes call).
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
makes sence actually doesn't it? Why give electical activity to something that no longer has it??? Sounds like a burn to the cells??? (although we did put batteries to dead frogs hearts in school and make them move..LOL!)
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
LOL...my son just so put it into perspective! "mom, you can't shock a sony playstation that is already dead..you will fry it!....some time and thinking of why it shut down is in order...too bad people aren 't like sony playstations though...they have a reset button!"
Specializes in Peds Urology,primary care, hem/onc.
When I was a pediatric oncology floor nurse about 7 years ago, one of my coworkers was in a room with one of the residents. This is infant was really sick and stopped breathing (was on a monitor). As my coworker was reaching for the ambu bag, the resident up and left the room! After standing there incredulous for a second, she poked her head out of the door, looked at the charge nurse and said," I guess I am going to have to call it". The charge nurse looked at her and said, "call what?" My coworker replies, "ah, that would be a code!!!". All hell breaks loose, everyone goes running into the room and the resident leaves the floor!
My last unit was code central, and every code looked like we were trapped in a 3 Stooges movie. That's what codes are like, not the calm, smooth running things on TV.
A good code is when everybody knows what to do, the code sheet is filled out, all protocols are followed, and everybody does his or her job. Patient outcome is irrelevant to a good code, we can't save them all.
A bad code is one where people freeze and refuse to get out of everyone else's way and where multiple docs show up and nearly come to blows over what to do next, ignoring the protocols and creating enough of a distraction that the code sheet is lost. Patient outcome is irrelevant here, too. Sometimes they stubbornly survive no matter what doc or other specialist is waving his or her ego around that day.
Compressions should be occurring at first sign of code blue. These should continue until a defib is indicated. (v-fib/tach) Asystole should never be shocked. The point of a shock is to slow a V-tach and possibly convert to a perfusing rhythm. If you shock asystole -chances of regaining a beat is even more distant.
Antikigirl, ASN, RN
2,595 Posts
makes sence actually doesn't it? Why give electical activity to something that no longer has it??? Sounds like a burn to the cells??? (although we did put batteries to dead frogs hearts in school and make them move..LOL!)
Drugs..and hope!
That and a quick assessment into WHY..LOL!