Innapropriate comment at CODE?

[Dinith88]

I recently participated in a code-blue situation in which a doctor was having a difficult time intubating. At least 2 people (including the doc) remarked that the patient had a huge tongue. A comment was made by a male-nurse that : "I hear he was popular with the ladies..." A few people (including myself) laughed out loud to this comment.

There were probably 8 people in the room, 5 of whom were women.

If you were at bedside during this code, how would you have reacted? If at all?

[BackPackerRN]

I was just wondering why you had to add that it was a male nurse. I don't think if you were talking about any other professional workplace you would specify what sex the person was. A nurse is a nurse am I correct?

I personally think that if a woman was to be offended at that comment she would more likely be offended if a male said it than a female. I also personally think that males are more likely to crack a joke in a stressful situation.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

On a related topic, if you ever want to have a good belly laugh, go to a terrifying movie, then right into a comedy. You'll be amazed at how much funnier the comedy is when you have tension to burn off.

I know a doc who starts to sing when a code isn't going well. Frightening.

I so hope he has a good voice. Otherwise, there might've be more than one patient coding...

BTW, what's he singing? "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"?

(Yeah, I would've laughed too, but I always imagine the patient hovering around the ceiling and hearing every word, like in the Life After Death stories we hear. So humor in a Code situation makes me feel a little weird.)

[HitmanCFYA]

Laughter is a coping mechanism. Different people cope in different ways. Stop me from having a laugh, and I will be the biggest *&$%head you have ever met.

People who want to write everybody up for every little thing are the real causes behind poor working environments, not people who crack a joke or have a good time while working in a crazy environment.

Was it inappropriate? Only the starter of the thread would know, they were the person there. If the persons family was in the room (doubtful) then yeah, it was probably out of line. If it was only the code team...then in no way was it inappropriate. (in my eyes, that was a pretty tame comment, I could think of faaaaaar worse. )