What is a "Code Black"?

[sugabuga]

On the previews for next week's Grey's Anatomy they were talking about having a "Code Black". What is this?

[myrtle1956]

thanks to all for the info, i will have to find out if we have a code black, I have never heard of code black before, But, you know how we "night workers" are, just a bunch of sleep deprived folks.

[SweetieRN]

Hi then what is a code Brown???

Nurse in need of chocolate - STAT!!

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

i was talking to my dentist about this show...i said i love grays anatomy he had never heard of it and thought i ment the a+p book

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

And another little thing - in the preview for next week, I liked how Burke told the resident to go tell the "charge nurse" that they had a code black. I thought it was a little nod to nursing, and how the charge nurse of any unit is a huge part of the healthcare team.

Good point

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

Hi then what is a code Brown???

from what i gather here it means poop

[KatieRN04]

Last year, the CDC or OSHO or one of those government companies that make up standards for hospitals, made a new revised code system for hospital employees to know. This is a national standard so that all hospitals have the same "CODE colors" (there are probably at least 8-10 colors in the list") whether you are in a hospital in California, Maine or Florida. A code black stands for bomb or terrorism.

[KatieRN04]

IN reference to some of the other responses to what a code brown means, a code brown according to the new standards is a missing adult patient. But anyone who is a nurse knows that the optional meaning for code brown is when you have to go clean up a nasty mess someone made in the bed or on the floor or portable commode, blah, blah, blah, the gross part of patient care. Make sure you bring air freshner with you

[TexasPediRN]

Ok, so not to change the subject much or anything, but since its on the topic of different codes meaning different things in different facilities..

Has anyone ever heard a store call a "code blue"?? Krogers (food store) does it down here, I dont know what it means for them, but it sure does make me very alert when i hear it!!

Anyone else heard a "code" called before while shopping??

[ER_RN07]

At my hosptial

code red- fire

code rainbow- infant abduction

code silver- potential violent situation

code brown- bomb

code black- evacutation

[Lilith]

Hi then what is a code Brown???

:roll In my hospital, code brown gets you the poop patrol!

[mcmannrn]

Yeah, charge nurse = where everything that rolls downhill stops.:roll

[moonshadeau, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, APN, NP, CNS]

Last year, the CDC or OSHO or one of those government companies that make up standards for hospitals, made a new revised code system for hospital employees to know. This is a national standard so that all hospitals have the same "CODE colors" (there are probably at least 8-10 colors in the list") whether you are in a hospital in California, Maine or Florida. A code black stands for bomb or terrorism.

If this was a national standard, then there wouldn't be a question of what a "code black" or any other color is. We would all already know it. Fact is that there are differing methods in which a facility uses to announce emergency protocals. Like I said before, our facility uses code black to announce a severe weather alert. A code yellow, is used for bomb threats and evacution. In the last place I worked, a Dr. Green was used to announce bomb threats. Every place is different.