Providing Emergency Care to non-patient

[augustwest]

Hi,

I have a MD who just likes to be contentious. This issue has never come up before but came up this week. We had a code blue in the waiting room (primary care clinic) for a patient's family member. We stablilized the patient until EMS showed up and updated EMS on vitals, etc.

Afterwards, the MD said we shouldn't be providing this care. I said we should and always have. He then asked, "well, how do we document the care we provided" and I was stumped. Normally, we've just recorded it on a piece of paper and provided a timeline to EMS.

What do you all do for code blue for non-patient in a non-hospital setting where they can't/won't be admitted? Thanks!

[crispycritter]

Sam, Canadian LPNs are very different creatures from their American co-title holders. We do not "work under an RN" anymore than the RNs working along side us, we all work under the direction of the Charge Nurse. In many LTC facilities, there are only LPNs overnight.

You are the one who stated that an LPN was standing around doing nothing for the patient on the ground. My point is maybe that LPN knew the patient, knew their code status and that was it.

Take a step back, accept that you are a new nurse and you don't have the knowledge of a crusty old bat yet.

Ok new, beautiful day, not as much coffee today! I do see how original post was confusing, man on ground was not patient of said property, but a maintenance man, no code status and had not been down long enough to be deemed "dead", by anyone. The whole point I was trying to make (appearantly not so well), is as a whole as people, we should all help each other as much as possible and not worry so much about consequences/especially as medical professionals. Yes new to nursing, have had difficulty transitioning from military medic to civilian nurse for sure! However, am crusty just not a bat yet!

PS would love to change screen name to something more fitting, have looked thru search and dashboard, to try and figure out how, anyone able to point me in that direction? Thanks

[crispycritter]

Found out how,on my own with a little more digging. Thanks