Trying To Save Lives.........
The Following was first written a liitle over a year ago after my first participation in a Code Response after a patient had a cardiac arrest. I was a New Graduate Nurse and still in Orientation. I will never forget the experience and after another experience that I had two nights ago, I feel that I have come a long way since then.
I do apologize for the poor poor writing in the following blog, I do believe that I was a little sleep deprived and drunk at the time. --ben the RN
We had a code (basically the patient is on death's doorstep) on the floor last night. it wasnt one of my patients, but it was intense. at least 10 people in a small room trying to save a life.
i walked into the room. people shouting instructions. for those who have never seen one in real life, it is nothing like tv. it is chaotic and messy (two of the nurses had to get new scrubs afterwards). i guess a few weeks ago, there was a code that is now called the vomit-poop code (its even known by those on other floors!). the patient apparently had bodily fluids coming out both ends. the room still smells funny.
i took over chest compressions. the patient had no pulse. no blood pressure. blood everywhere. im on the bed leaning over the patient pumping this persons heart by doing compressions for at least 5 minutes, was relieved by somebody for about 5 minutes and then jumped back in for another 5. it was quite a workout.
after that my preceptor had me go check on my patients. later on the dr that ran the code told me i did a great job on compressions. thats was nice to hear considering it was my first time.
unfortunately the patient did not make it, they worked on him for a while and did everything that they could do.
it was the third night that the nurse had with the patient and he had been very stable until then. its is always very difficult to see your patient like this. she had developed a relationship with this person and then watched him..well, expire. several of us went to go get breakfast and beers afterwards this morning. its our coping mechanism.
The Following was first written a liitle over a year ago after my first participation in a Code Response after a patient had a cardiac arrest. I was a New Graduate Nurse and still in Orientation. I will never forget the experience and after another experience that I had two nights ago, I feel that I have come a long way since then.
I do apologize for the poor poor writing in the following blog, I do believe that I was a little sleep deprived and drunk at the time. --ben the RN
We had a code (basically the patient is on death's doorstep) on the floor last night. it wasnt one of my patients, but it was intense. at least 10 people in a small room trying to save a life.
i walked into the room. people shouting instructions. for those who have never seen one in real life, it is nothing like tv. it is chaotic and messy (two of the nurses had to get new scrubs afterwards). i guess a few weeks ago, there was a code that is now called the vomit-poop code (its even known by those on other floors!). the patient apparently had bodily fluids coming out both ends. the room still smells funny.
i took over chest compressions. the patient had no pulse. no blood pressure. blood everywhere. im on the bed leaning over the patient pumping this persons heart by doing compressions for at least 5 minutes, was relieved by somebody for about 5 minutes and then jumped back in for another 5. it was quite a workout.
after that my preceptor had me go check on my patients. later on the dr that ran the code told me i did a great job on compressions. thats was nice to hear considering it was my first time.
unfortunately the patient did not make it, they worked on him for a while and did everything that they could do.
it was the third night that the nurse had with the patient and he had been very stable until then. its is always very difficult to see your patient like this. she had developed a relationship with this person and then watched him..well, expire. several of us went to go get breakfast and beers afterwards this morning. its our coping mechanism.