So last night I responded to a code called in the spinal cord injury center. We (code team) arrived in the room to find a bewildered little old man, obviously not in arrest, sitting on a comode asking why on earth all these people where flooding into his room.
Turns out his nurse had called out to the new grad nurse at the nursing station:
"CAN YOU GET A COMODE?"
The new grad heard
"CAN YOU CALL A CODE!"
The new gad had called for the code and then went about her duties. The patient's nurse and the patient had no idea a code had been called until the code team came running into the room.
So she called a code and then went about her business?? Wasn't even curious about a code? Didn't bring the crash cart in?? This is funny and sad!
Yeah, something about this story is a bit off. If there is a code called, everyone goes running, the nurses, aides, etc on the unit. Nobody makes a phonecall and then just sits back and files their nails, so to speak.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
So last night I responded to a code called in the spinal cord injury center. We (code team) arrived in the room to find a bewildered little old man, obviously not in arrest, sitting on a comode asking why on earth all these people where flooding into his room.
Turns out his nurse had called out to the new grad nurse at the nursing station:
"CAN YOU GET A COMODE?"
The new grad heard
"CAN YOU CALL A CODE!"
The new gad had called for the code and then went about her duties. The patient's nurse and the patient had no idea a code had been called until the code team came running into the room.
First I have to say....THAT IS HILARIOUS!! :rotfl:
OK....I'm recovered.
Poor thing.....she's walking by trying to keep everything straight in her head. Stressed to the MAX!!!! and over whelmed and then she hears "Call a code":eek:. "Call a WHAT?":eek:
She probably got conviently busy to keep from running in fear. I'd go give her a hug and explain what call a code means. Poor kid.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
So she called a code and then went about her business?? Wasn't even curious about a code? Didn't bring the crash cart in?? This is funny and sad!
*** Ya, to me there are several funny parts to the story. One of them being a nurse who hears (or thinks she hears) to call a code, she calmly does so then attends her duties, doesn't go into the room to offer help, doesn't fetch the crash cart, doesn't tell any of the other nurses in the unit there is a code, nothing.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Yeah, something about this story is a bit off. If there is a code called, everyone goes running, the nurses, aides, etc on the unit. Nobody makes a phonecall and then just sits back and files their nails, so to speak.
*** Oh no, nobody else in the unit went running. The spinal cord injury center is attached to the rest of the hospital by a long hallway, they don't hear the overhead pages for codes. The first anyone (other than the new grad who called it) on the unit knew a code had been called was when we (code team) came running in.
They are actually half a mile away from the ICU where my rapid response office is located.
Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.
so last night i responded to a code called in the spinal cord injury center. we (code team) arrived in the room to find a bewildered little old man, obviously not in arrest, sitting on a comode asking why on earth all these people where flooding into his room.
turns out his nurse had called out to the new grad nurse at the nursing station:
"can you get a comode?"
the new grad heard
"can you call a code!"
the new gad had called for the code and then went about her duties. the patient's nurse and the patient had no idea a code had been called until the code team came running into the room.
good one!, however, i feel for the new grad, i can only imagine the nicknames she has acquired since then
We used to have residents stay overnight at our Children's Hospital. One night about midnight I heard "dr me off to resident lounge staff, dr jack me off please" I won't tell you where or who but later that Dr. (a peace corp ant Vietnam vet) Became A famouse state senator
We had a patient code. A height challenged resident responded. He asked the CNA to get a stool (for him to stand on.). The patient had "stooled" about 1/2 hour earlier. So guess who starts going through the dirty linen to see if there is any stool left for the resident!
I paged for help in a similar situation thinking I had paged only my unit and it turned out that I had paged over the entire hospital system....people were responding from several units lol....Embarrased new grad...successful patient outcome
We had a patient code. A height challenged resident responded. He asked the CNA to get a stool (for him to stand on.). The patient had "stooled" about 1/2 hour earlier. So guess who starts going through the dirty linen to see if there is any stool left for the resident!
Specializes in Care Coordination, MDS, med-surg, Peds.
I am not overly tall, either, and on a code once, I said, I either need a stool, a ladder, or you gotta lower this bed. I cannot do effective chest compressions when I am reaching head high to get to their chest!! LOL.. Got my stool
and over whelmed and then she hears "Call a code":eek:. "Call a WHAT?":eek: 
NoviceRN10
901 Posts
Yeah, something about this story is a bit off. If there is a code called, everyone goes running, the nurses, aides, etc on the unit. Nobody makes a phonecall and then just sits back and files their nails, so to speak.