Kohai2

Reply to Lvntrail: In healthcare settings the person with the highest credentials relevant to ACLS or PALS is the one running the code because they need to make decisions about which meds to give and when. The OP said that they're the head nurse at their facility. If there's no physician around, they're the one running the code. Your point of actual event vs. scope makes no sense. The scope of practice matters immensely in the actual event of a seizure or any medical emergency. The LVN won't be pushing IV lorazepam in most states. The OT can't give meds at all. So yeah, the RN can provide services those two cannot. "Publicly disrespectful to staff" by telling the teacher to move? By telling someone to grab a stethoscope and a defibrillator? No, that's called giving direct communication in a crisis and it's what you're supposed to do. In the Medical Emergency that was described, the teacher absolutely was a bystander. Had that been in a hospital she would have been in the corner not leaning over the patient blocking view of the airway. You don't think parents watching their kids code are invested or care? Of course they do but they aren't going to be standing around participating because they aren't medical professionals.

Sounds like you need to move up the chain of command here and there needs to be more education in this setting. 1. Whoever is running the code is RUNNING THE CODE. That's it. Period. If the manager isn't running the code, their opinion doesn't matter at that moment. Same for the LPN. You can't sing someone out of a seizure so I'm not sure why anyone would object to the teacher not being able to be in the kid's face singing. That is not a relevant medical intervention at this time, therefore it takes a backseat to you being able to monitor the child's respiratory status. 2. You have a documented disability and the workplace has agreed to make reasonable accommodations—not singing during a code or in the immediate aftermath seems reasonable to me. I'm not even hearing impaired and that sounds like an idiotic thing—extra noise during a stressful situation. No. 3. Have a chat with the LPN that during a code, she should not be taking things Personally, take them Professionally. People die because of assumptions like 'oh I assumed someone would have a stethoscope' so it's good you said what was needed. Closed loop communication is the standard and if someone isn't regularly running codes they aren't likely to sound as calm as the AHA videos. It's OK to be scared. Your voice will very likely reflect that. Overall, I'd be looking for some serious changes or a new job. You're the top medical person there so if the *** hits the fan and a kid dies, whose feet will they lay the blame at? Yours. Not the OT manager. Not the LPN. You.

I think the fact that you're concerned about it sounds like you're probably not a sociopath or antisocial disorder. Your family member sounds like an armchair psychologist who "read a thing one time about someone" and now thinks they know 10 sociopaths. I don't like all this "nurses are angels", "nurses have extra large hearts" BS. It's demeaning of us as medical professionals and I personally think it contributes to the verbal abuse we take because it dehumanizes us. I'm not an angel, I'm a human. Please treat me as such and I will do the same for you. As to the deaths, I agree with the person who said that the RN crying themselves to sleep about every death has very poor boundaries. Especially if you're in a SNF, a lot of your patients are likely older adults with a lot of comorbidities who have been kept alive by their families and modern medicine regardless of their personal wishes/quality of life. My personal take on it is this: Death is part of life. It will happen to everyone eventually. There are things MUCH worse than death (Losing your mind, having a tube in every hole, being conscious and unable to communicate). I feel bad that the family is sad, I've been there and know how it feels. But I'm happy for the patient not being in pain or struggling anymore.

I’m also still a student, but I’d say you should include the previous job on there. You can frame it as an experience that you learned and grew from, which it sounds like you did. You found that ED is not for you right now and you’re looking to build your compassionate practice on a medsurg floor or something. Having a second job shows you’re a hard worker, trying to get another hospital job shows you’ve got grit. Keep persevering, I think you can get another hospital job. Good luck! Keep us posted