So I was just finishing up my last day of clinicals for my first term of nursing school this past week. As we were sitting in the break room of the hospital talking with our instructor about the day's events this guy walks in and announces they have a code coming in and invited the students to come along. I thought cool - we will get to watch what happens on a code! Another student and I say we'll go and off we walk to the emergency dept.
As we are walking this guy (can't even remember what his title is) starts quizing us on our CPR knowledge and it becomes apparent that we have just volunteered to do the chest compressions! Suddenly I find my anxiety level has gone through the roof and I am thinking oh my gosh what I have just agreed to? Can I really do this? What if I do it wrong? What if I see the patient and can't do it!
BREATHE I tell myself....remain calm...BREATHE...you can do this!
We get to the emergency room, get quick instructions on where to stand, then we gown up. After a few tense minutes the patient arrives and my anxiety level seems to dissipate a little and is replaced by excitement. The moment has arrived. It is a controlled chaos as everyone takes their places around the patient. When the pt first arrived she had a chest compressor on - which is a device that does the compression's for you. For a brief moment I feel disappointment, perhaps we won't get to participate after all. But, the device apparently runs on batteries and quits working! So..before I know it my co-student is being told to start compressions. She jumps up on the stool and begins. Soon I hear her ask me if I am ready....ok here I go!
We change positions and I begin. With guidance from they guy who first came to tell us there was a code....my CPR training comes back to me and I get into a groove. WOW...I am tired....this is alot more work than I ever expected! But I keep going - and unlike what they teach in CPR class - we are not counting the compressions to breaths. I am told don't stop - just keep going while the person at the head of the bed manages to count my compressions and breathe for the patient. Once I get into a groove I glimpse down at the patient's face....mistake! I quickly looked away so emotions would not take over. "SWITCH"
After switching off several times between the two of us (students that is), I start to realize that doing CPR is nothing like it is in the class room. I am exhausted, out of breath and the plastic gown and gloves are sticking to me...yuk! They had us put on face shields as well - but we quickly took those off as our quick breathing had fogged the shield up anyway - making it impossible to see had we kept them on.
In the end, after working on the patient for what seemed only minutes (but was actually about 30 minutes) the Doctor called it. I knew from the beginning that the chances of this turning out good were slim, but I had hope anyway. I even prayed a few times as I was over the patient doing compressions "Please God let this turn out good, let us bring the patient back. Let me end clinicals on a good note."
Reflecting back on my first time doing CPR ~ I did crack a rib. I heard it pop but didn't feel anything. At first I thought what did I do wrong to make it pop? But it happens and I knew I couldn't pick myself apart over it. The whole time we were in the ER our instructor was standing behind us, giving us confidence and guiding us. The guy that grabbed us in the first place was also there guiding and instructing us as we were giving compressions.
As we took off our gowns and gloves we realized that we were covered in sweat - yew! Plastic doesn't breathe very well! The adrenaline rush lasted for about 2 hours afterwards and for the rest of the day I couldn't get the patient's face out of my mind. I wondered if my emotions were going to take over and I would break down but I never did...okay well maybe I cried just a little!
All in all - I did it. My first time doing CPR...wow....I did it! What a rush! I felt compassion for the patient and family - but I was also excited that I got to do CPR...and I almost feel like that excitement is just a little bit morbid! But then again.....don't all nursing students have that feeling when they get to do something new for their patients?
Oh and the next day I was so sore! My arms and upper back - heck even my wrists all hurt!
Thanks for listening! I knew this was a safe place to share my experience!!
Good job. I am glad you were included. And trust me if you are worn out after CPR then you were doing it right. I know I usually am and I remember in one particular code the attending doc told one on the interns to do CPR just like I was doing it because I was doing it right. Well he had the chance right then because I was getting tired.
Oh and by the way I look at the cardiac monitor too when I do CPR to pace myself and to make sure I am doing correct compressions.
I don't want folks to be discouraged when they see that "look of death" or the blue face... we had a pt code on our med surg floor earlier today. The pt survived and is under a lot of medication and monitoring (I'm sure you can imagine) Lots of blood from the mouth being suctioned before resp could get air in. But we saved the pt thankfully!
Also the cracking is not always the ribs. It may be the cartilage that you hear and feel cracking, fyi.
Oh one more thing. Cracking ribs is NOT the goal when doing CPR! If you think this then please retake your BLS class!
Suddenly I find my anxiety level has gone through the roof and I am thinking oh my gosh what I have just agreed to? Can I really do this? What if I do it wrong? What if I see the patient and can't do it! 
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DoeRN
941 Posts
Good job. I am glad you were included. And trust me if you are worn out after CPR then you were doing it right. I know I usually am and I remember in one particular code the attending doc told one on the interns to do CPR just like I was doing it because I was doing it right. Well he had the chance right then because I was getting tired.
Oh and by the way I look at the cardiac monitor too when I do CPR to pace myself and to make sure I am doing correct compressions.