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Discussion

This makes NO sense at all!

During a staff meeting on Tuesday, our manager told us something rather shocking, borderline insane. The discussion was abouty emergency supplies in the rooms. I said that when I am working, I try make sure that all occupied beds have an oxygen flowmeter, suction regulator and a canister ready at all times. I said that one time we had a code blue and no supples were set up, so therefore since then I make sure each bed is ready.

My manager siad this to me and 35 other educated staff - "Everyone knows that during an emergency you NEVER use the wall mounted oxygen. You must utilize the Oxygen tank on the code cart and order a stat portable suction canister from central supply".

Am I the only person on Earth who see's what she said to be the biggest waste of time and most dangerous advise ever?

She went on to say - "During mock code blues, we have stocked the code carts themselves with everything possible for every type of emergency".

LIES LIES LIES OR SHE IS LOOSING IT

In the 8 years plus I have worked the bedside, I have NEVER seen a code team use the oxygen tank on the code cart. In my opinion, the tank more more of a decorative touch - it reinforces the mentally that this is emergency supplies ( think of the TSA color coding systems - kinda like that).

Any thoughts on this?

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    I thought the tank on the code cart was for someone who crumps in the middle of a corridor/somewhere where O2 isn't at hand. I have to say this is something I've never heard before. Then again, never underestimate the ability of a manager to baffle you with bullfeathers.

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    Maybe she was thinking about transporting the patient? Did you ask her what she meant?

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    Same logic as our manager once telling us that yaunker suctions need to be charged to an individual pt. Makes it tough to stock up your room and get ready for an emergency. I'll just tell the pt to stop having the seizure whilst I trot on over to the supply room and charge out the yaunker.

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    • Experts

    I, too, also always thought that the (only) purpose of the O2 tank on the cart was just in case you found yourself coding someone in a setting where you didn't have wall O2 ...

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    Same logic as our manager once telling us that yaunker suctions need to be charged to an individual pt. Makes it tough to stcok up your room and get ready for an emergency. I'll just tell the pt to stop having the seizure whilst I trot on over to the supply room and charge out the yaunker.

    Wow. I keep forgetting that you Americans bill the patient for everything. We just use what we need and trust me nothing much gets wasted. But our healtcare system still scares the dickens out of most of you.

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    • Experts
    But our healtcare system still scares the dickens out of most of you.

    (Not really -- many polls over many years have found that a majority of the American public (even a majority of US physicians, now) wants some form of a single-payer system. The problem is the clout of the pharmaceutical and insurance lobbies in Washington ...)

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    Sounds like a bunch of crap to me. The equipment on the cart is for those emergencies that happen outside of an equipped patient room. In fact, one of the last codes I went to was on a medicine unit where the gentleman coded in the bathroom, so we had to do everything right there on the bathroom floor. The O2 didn't reach the wall, so we used the tank on the cart. We were able to use wall suction with the use of connector tubes that were on the cart. But it seems totally ludicrous to use the stuff on the cart if you are in a well equipped room. Plus, what about the time lost trying to find a portable suction and then a place to plug it in, or what happens when the O2 tank runs empty or malfunctions. That should be reserved for the transport to a higher level of care.

    Your manager may need some re-education.

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    Wall suction is much stronger than the portable suction- especially when you have to stat order the portable from stores. I'd use the wall suction.

    Wall O2 is generally hooked up and going long before the patient deteriorates to code status and someone rolls the cart in the room. I'd use the wall O2.

    If you are transporting from your unit to the ICU you would need portable supplies to make it there safely. If someone has just coded on me I'd be tempted to roll the entire crash cart along...but I'd settle for O2, suction and a moniter. That's where the portable stuff comes in.

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    She or he has not been to a code in awhile..and that is right that portable suction is practically worthless. and what about the pt that is just in trouble and you need suction and O2 supplies and you do not need to break out the crash cart....what then? ..that manger is nutty..sounds like you need to be the manager not him or her.

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