1st CODE.....

BarbPick · Dec 10, 2003

Do you remember pre bristajets, where you had to file off the top of the 50 cc ampule of BiCarb and draw it up in a panic?

Dopamine had just come out, Levophed was used, so the kidneys were shot?

Codes at least are standarized. The patient's life depended upon the house physician , usually someone who was waiting to take US Boards.

I hope there is a picture in the attic me me, that keeps aging

Barbara

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2003

I work in an ICU and haven't taken ACLS yet either for the same rationale that was mentioned earlier. I hope to take it as soon as I am off orientation in Feb. Wow, it is suprising that your hospital does pressors in a non-ICU environment, LuvsbabiesRN. Are you in a step-down unit? I don't even think we can do pressors in the step-down unit where I work. Also if they are on pressors they MUST have an a-line.

kc ccurn · Dec 11, 2003

I work in ICU where we, unfortunately, do not use A-lines on all or our patients on vasopressors when titrating drips. Our PCU (progressive care unit-tele floor) the patients can go to pcu on a renal dose dopamine gtt as long as it is not needing to be titrated. We've also had some pt's up there for Dobutamine challenges on Dobutamine gtt's that aren't titrated. (don't quite agree with that one though.....if you need Dobutrex, you need a swan. Period)

LuvbabiesRN, you did what you should have done. Be proud of yourself that you knew you needed help and you got it. The only new grad or new hire CCU nurse that scares me isn't the one who doesn't know it all, it's the one who thinks they know it all and doesn't use their resources or realize when they are in way over their head.

You will never forget your first code. Or many of them inbetween. It will get to the point where if you use your ACLS skills enough you become more comfortable with them. But always know who/what your resources are and use them. Don't be afraid to jump in during the middle of a code and ask if you can do compressions or shock. It's one thing to do it in ACLS, it's another to do it in real life. Even if you haven't taken ACLS yet, you should have your BLS and you would do yourself a favor to step up to the plate and do compressions, get a feel for how the cor works, how everyone should be working together as a team. Learn from each one, ask questions. I love it when floor nurses ask me what we did and why we did it, after the cor of course.

Always ask what drugs has the pt been given recently. I was suprised that the nurse had to insist that narcan be given for a lady that's received morphine recently. That should have been one of the first considerations.

Good luck newbie. Sounds like you're going to do just fine!