ConfusedRN

I went to CPCC in Charlotte, graduated 2 years ago. I HATED it while I was there, but am SOOOOO glad they were tough on us. I felt very prepared to take the NCLEX and to begin my nursing career. On numerous occasions, I have heard that students from CPCC are the most "prepared" out on the floor. Have also heard really good things about Carolina's College of Health Sciences that is also known as CMC. As far as UNC-Charlotte goes, I honestly haven't heard great things from them. Their pass rate is VERY low, and to tell you the truth, I rarely see nurses working on the floor that graduated from UNC-Charlotte. Presbyterian School of Nursing, which is now incorporated with Queens College also have a very good program.

We do have an AED, I believe it is required now for outpatient facilities. We are all trained on the use, I mean it really isn't rocket science. The patients at our office will come right to our office, no matter what their condition- even if we tell them until we are blue in the face to go to the ED. At least 4-5 times per week, we have an active chest pain come in, among other things that really have NO BUSINESS coming to our office. We have 3 doc's recently out of residency that are comfortable with codes, intubation, etc. We just have no actual "policy" that outlines who gets what, yadda yadda yadda. I guess we have survived this long without one.

We have a crash cart (more like a case really) has all the regular stuff, drugs, defibrillator, etc. We are just a free standing, on it's own office- just regular patients coming in for care. We have had a couple of patients walk in in distress and had to whip out the crash cart, but definately not a true Code Blue. Response time for EMS, about 5-10 mins for emergency, 10-15 for non-emergency.

I work in a large, very busy Family Practice office. We have mostly CMA's, a couple of LPN's and 3 RN's. I'm looking for some sort of protocol for running a code in the office setting. Like who is in charge of what, who records, etc. I was unsure how this would work say if there were no RN's in the office when a code occurs. I am sure that most of the work would be taken on by one the providers, but the ancillary staff is going to have some responsibility. Just wonder if anyone out there had something like this implemented in their office. Thanks!!

BabyRN, I worked Med-Surg in the hospital setting for about 6 months and absolutely hated it. Before I passed the NCLEX I had been working as a CMA in a large Family Practice office (almost 5 years there). When I switched to full time as RN in the office, I wasn't the supervisor or anything. I took about $1.50/hr pay cut. In the hospital, I worked nights, so it was the shift differential that really made the pay cut seem major. Overall, I am truly happier now, better hours, etc.. ConfusedRN