I had the thought last night that I hadn’t worked the defibrillator on the crash cart in a long time (except for the daily checks that’s nothing like really working it in a code). Well we turned it on a bunch, but never ended up using it. We’ve had 3 (count ’em 3) full friggin codes. Now this is only a 6 bed ICU and I probably haven’t been to a code in 3 months. This place is very diffrent from the large facilities I’ve worked in the past. No where near the number of codes.
Code #1: Already coded twice on day shift. Old, Alzihemers. In hospital because broken hip in nursing home. Family wanted everything we could do done, but they didn’t even come to the hospital. Wouldn’t even answer the phone after 11 pm. Ribs already broken from prior code.
Number of people to respond: 8
Status: Successful (if you count epi & dopamine drips and standing on your head successful)
Code Quote: “Is someone going to do chest compressions?” from our brilliantly smart mouthed Respiratory Therapist as he conviently makes sure his hands are busy bagging.
Code #2: Code #1 an hour later when the epi and atropine wore off.
Number of people to respond: 3
Status: Unsuccessful (but isn’t sometimes death a better option)
Code Quote: “Go on to the light.” from the ER Doc who responded to the code (read it with a country boy accent).
Code #3: Older active, not feeling well for 3 days prior to deciding to come to the hospital. I heard her snoring about 5 minutes before her doc walks in the room during shift change report. Doc walks in room and she’s not breathing at that moment. Family MIA.
Number of people to respond: 20
Status: Successful
Code Quote: “Umm, What are we doing about her not breathing?” from the doc upon exiting the room directly after entering it
So it proves the theory of 3’s. But it’s nowhere near my record.
One night working ER we had 6 codes in 8 hours, all diffrent people. We were running out of places to hide the bodies. Funeral homes weren’t getting there quick enough. But that’s not my record either for number of codes called. 8 codes, between 2 patients in 2 hours. The rest of the patients in that pod were taken care of by 2 nurse externs and a tech, because the licensed staff and MD were running from room to room to do codes. Go code this guy for 15 min, get him back, leave 1 nurse while running next door code #2 for 15 min, get him back, and back to #1.
I’m making this friends only because some of my views about this are very personal.