The End of the Code

Most of our physicians ask this too.

Once when I responded to a code on the telemetry unit a certified nursing assistant said, "Once in the ER they gave calcium and the patient survived."

The doctor ordered it and amazingly after more compressions the seeming asystole became VT.

The code continued, a viable rhythm returned, and the patient was taken to ICU.

That patient survived to go to a SNF.

Every other time the patient didn't survive whether or not anyone said anything.

I am glad for the humanity of this doctor.

Thanks for sharing this thought-provoking message. Good way to end a code and take care of the team at the same time. The only thing worse than losing a patient is losing a patient and walking away with regrets. This approach greatly reduces the chances of that. A gentle resolution to a traumatic situation.

I really like that approach. Thanks for sharing that. I might print it out for the staff room at work.

That is very interesting and makes complete sense. Everybody needs to feel empowered and to feel that they did everything they possibly could have.

When I was in ER in FL and GA, almost every code ended this same way. It is often w/regret, and sometimes w/relief when the time comes for the decision to made and the code called.

I think this approach is encouraged now. I remember taking my ACLS class a few months ago and this is something we did. I also saw this in 2 codes I was in recently.

I hate that people think that we can make the body survive for longer than God wants us to. I just wish that the general public knew the horrible things we do to people to make them survive, and that most of the time, when you code, you don't survive~~~