Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Code Blue


So I am trying to sit and write a dumb blog here at work, and every-time I sit down an alarm goes off. This could take a while. (suction) I'm back... so the other night I had my first code blue experience. I mean I experience them all the time, they just haven't been my patient. (turn up Fi02) back (turn down fio2) back.... Though I had to bag my patient several times before, I have always been able to get them to recover in a decent amount of time. (change a feeding) back... so this time, bagging, number four for the night by the way, I could not get the patient to recover. Heart rate was in the 40's, (should be about 140) and decreasing, sats were in the teens, (should be above 85%) and color was dusky gray. Hmmm... I thought. Maybe I should get a respiratory therapist. Rt comes to bedside and is having trouble bagging the patient as well. Hmmm... I wonder if we should hit that magic button that will get the whole hospital staff at the bedside in seconds. As I questioned the RT if we should call a code, she didn't respond. I looked up at the monitor and decided if the patient didn't start going in the right direction in the next secs I would hit that button. The patients numbers continued to plumet. (start another feeding, suction, increase fio2). back... Once that button was hit signals flew and intercom comes on, code blue, code blue, code blue. People run to the bedside out of breath. Of course by the time they get there, patient is finally recovering. You got to love the remarks like, this is our code blue? It's like they are all excited to cardiovert a baby, shove some epi in them, and I don't know, why not put them on echmo. Sorry I could not provide the excitement you were looking for. Needless to say, I don't regret pushing the button. I'm not going to be sued for a preventable death. (fio2 down) back... Wow no wonder my agitation thresh hold has been getting lower and lower. (meds given) I feel bad for those around me because I snap pretty easily. Watch out!

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Well it has been about 2 hours since you gave me report and I have decided the best thing to do is to sit next to the vent to shut off the dang alarm. Also, turns out I'm admitting. Seriously?.....Seriously? There are like 5 other open bed spaces in the unit, but go ahead and pick the one next to me, it's fine. I think I might start snapping.

Mom said...

ummmm...did i have twins that nobody told me about...???!...:o)
(jen's mom)

BALDY said...

You should send this experience in to Greys Anatomy this could totally be an hour long show. Oh and I did my first blog. You are a good sales woman. darrenbalderson@blogsp...

Lisa Marie Trent said...

Ahhh, all those terms get me so excited to go to Primary's this summer for our son's third surgery..

(this is Lisa, Laura's sister)

When we take Jack (Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrom baby) in for some minor emergency, they check his sat's and they are (at BEST) 80, and the people FREAK OUT and shove blow-bys by him and panic, and WE have to be the ones to calm them down...hehehe

Liz said...

Jane! I'm so glad you found me! And look at all my cousins you are friends with. Kind of funny. But, it was fun reading all your entries, and way to go on the marathon. I like Laura, don't run either, I have friends that do these marathons all the time and I tell them I am more than happy to ride on my scooter along side them. Tell your family hi from me.
Liz

Janey said...

Yes me and Jen might be twins