First Code

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Med/Surg.

I had my first code the other day. I have only been a nurse for 5 months. I had been caring for this patient for 3 days and on the 3rd day I heard her continous pulse ox machine going off so I went to check on her and she was gagging for air, turning blue and fading pulse! YIKES! I didn't panic though. Me and another nurse who happened to be outside the room called the code and started CPR. The code team came and shocked her once (got sinus rhythm back) and intubated her, and shipped her off to ICU. It was my first time seeing something like that. I remained calm thru it all, although afterwards I was really a mess and almost puked! I checked on her today and she is alive and talking and looks good. I believe that pulse ox machine saved her life, I wouldn't have gone in there if I hadn't heard the alarm. Anyways, just wanted to share. I feel so good that she is ok.

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Way to go!!!!! :D ^5

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Originally posted by RN always

I remained calm thru it all, although afterwards I was really a mess and almost puked!

I believe that pulse ox machine saved her life, I wouldn't have gone in there if I hadn't heard the alarm. Anyways, just wanted to share. I feel so good that she is ok.

I am so proud and envious of you to have this experience. That must have really been something. O2 sat is only a tool; You saved the life. Wheel never know; could have "come out of it" but you ensured her safety and LIFE. That must be a great feeling.

You put me in my place because I was totally stressed about NUR106 final exam, and you have saved a life. I am humble and love reading your post. A "job" well gone.:o

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

gosh, thanks! That makes me feel so good, your kind words. I'm sure there are many nurses out there that have saved many lives, this just happened to be my first. Good luck on your test. You will for sure get an "A".

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Good work. Always amazed me what a mess the room would be in.........LOL.

renerian

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I'm glad your first one went so well. Sounds like you did just what you needed to. Your patient is lucky you were her nurse!Wanna hear my first code story? It's kinda long............

A little background....I was doing home health and happened to be about 8 months pregnant. I am little, only 5 foot tall and weighed about 120 pounds at the time.

So, I'm getting my paperwork together in the morning. I had already called and set up an appointment to do an initial assessment on a man. The appointment was for 10:00. At 9:00 the patient's physician's office calls. The aide (or whatever) says this guys wife called and she's really upset saying her husband is really sick and needs a nurse now. My first question is "Does he need a NURSE or an AMBULANCE?" The answer (from a probably untrained office assistant) "Oh, NO. He's not THAT sick. If you could just go a little early that would be great." So, I drive over there (probably took 10 min from time of call to get there).

This guy lives in some condos which have VERY limited parking. Remember I'm very pregnant. I had thinned my supply bag down for my comfort (like a dummy). Somehow I managed to leave my CPR mask in the OTHER (larger) bag in the car. I ended up parking a LONG ways away.

I finally get to the apartment and the wife camly answers the door and says "He's in there." I took a look at the guy from the doorway and said, "Have you and your husband ever discussed resusitation?" as I'm entering his room. Here's this close to 300 pound man lying in bed taking agonal breaths while his wife waits for the nurse. :( She doesn't have a clue what I'm talking about so I have her call 911 while I start CPR. I try to drag the mattress containing the man onto the floor (did I mention he's in the very small spare bedroom?) but there's no way I can get him to the floor. SO, I start CPR all by my little (except my belly lol) self, all the while desperately waiting to hear sirens. No CPR mask. UUGGHHH. I NEVER again made that mistake. The ONLY good thing that happened is he didn't puke. He also didn't live but I didn't expect him to. Paramedics came, called the doc who ordered the code stopped.

What a freaking day. One of the paramedics summed it up well; "Kinda sucks to start the day kissing a frog, huh?" LOL

Makes me happy all over again that I now work L & D. LOL

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Good work, RN always!!!:kiss No one ever forgets their first code, glad everything turned out well.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Anitame...............wow, that must have been pretty scary. Thanks for sharing and thanks to everybody for their kind words. I'm sure everybody never forgets their first code.

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Makes me so happy to read your story about first code. I've been nursing 30+ years and in some ways the good stories like that have not changed. It's still the greatest job in the universe when we get back to the basics of why we do it. Thank you for sharing and for being there with your skills when your patient needed you.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I'm glad your first code went well!

Glad also you remained calm. The time to freak is after the fact, not during. LOL

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Good for you on staying calm! I have yet to experience my first code. I hope I remain as cool headed as you!

Kristy

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good job! you have mastered one of the trickiest tasks - remaining calm in a high pressure situation when someones life hangs in the balance.

reflect back on that experience, I'm glad it was a positive one - well at least as positive as a code situation can ever be ......

codes are unpleasant , and I dont know that I will ever be lil miss super nurse in a code situation ,but you go on automatic pilot - do what needs to be done -and think about it later...

that being said, it does feel so good when someone makes it.......

again, good job!

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