I am freaking out!

So don't freak out! Going forward, make sure you know code status BEFORE you call the attending. Or as you are talking, look.

If we are talking about sending people out, that is usually handled by the charge nurse or house supervisor.

Going forward, I would talk to your supervisor about what the policy is on transfers. Who is responsible to transfer. And if the attending wants to speak to the family or not. And if the patient was unresponsive, the HCP would be contacted by the attending to discuss options. And unfortunately, sometimes the HCP can decide to do something very different than what the MOLST says.

Team sport, know your resources.

It was definitely a learning experience! The patient wasn't unresponsive. He was lethargic but I was able to arouse him with stimuli. I feel like that was such a huge mistake and I feel horrible for delaying him treatment. I am sure to be better prepared for next time a situation arises.

Brace yourself. Get ready for things like this to happen 1,000 times over the next year or two. You're a new nurse. Cut yourself some slack for not graduating from nursing school being omniscient about how to complete every aspect of your new job. We all have to go through the learning pains of a new role - it's just that the stakes are higher when it's a healthcare job. Unfortunately, sometimes this is how you will learn different aspects of your job.

Allow me to share a personal experience...from just last night. I'm also a new nurse (although not new to healthcare) and experienced my first code last night in my new nursing role (instead of my former role, in which I was completely comfortable and confident). My charge nurse asked me if I could record... I said, "I'll try" (having never been instructed in what exactly is required in this role - I mean, someone else always did this when I was at a code! lol). Well, I did my best and accurately recorded what was happening - what time the code was called, when compressions started, when they stopped, when other interventions happened, etc. When the patient was stabilized, my code nurse was stunned to find out that I had not recorded a single vital sign. Oops. Luckily, the patient was on a monitor, so we were able to retrieve the info that I dropped the ball in obtaining. As a result of my botched first attempt, now I know how to accurately perform my role as the nurse recording a code.

Take heart. Every single fabulous nurse you will ever have the have the pleasure of coming across has been a new nurse and been through what you and I are going through. My advice - learn from your successes and failures and continue to grow. At least that's how I'm attacking this new challenge.

Thank you for the encouragement! It's going to rake me a long while to become confident. Right now I'm just nervous and feeling scared. I've literally only been a nurse for 3 weeks!