Hello, does anyone out there have any advise for a new nurse in regards to handling a code situation. I have never experienced a code and I am a little scared of the situation. I am usually calm and thrive best under pressure but I feel as though I am stepping into the unknown and not quite sure of my role in a crisis as a new nurse on the medical floor. Any advice would be appriciated. Thank you, greengables

Hi! Welcome to Nursing Voices

To be honest, no one really expects a brand new nurse to jump right in to a code. Try to go observe a code if you have time. If one is called in the hospital somewhere and you can spare some time, try to go and hang out in the background.

If the circumstances dictate that you absolutely must participate in some fashion, do compressions. It's physically pretty exhausting, but it takes almost zero mental thought past putting your hands in the right place.

The other thing you can do is record. You would write down what drugs were given when, what the rhythm is, if/when the patient was defibbed, etc. I guess I would wait on that one, though, until you've at least seen a few codes and know what to expect.

Another thing you can try to do is bag the patient. If they've been intubated, ask the RT if you can squeeze the ambu bag.

Hope that helped!

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code blog

Thank you for your advice. I actually got to see a code tues. morning during my preceptorship. It wasn't as scary as I expected. Everyone remained very calm and it was interesting to me how the whole dynamics of the team in the room worked. Looking at the person the code was called on was a little unnerving but watching the staff respond in such a calm manner disapated many of my fears regarding responding to a code.
Your feed back is greatly appriciated. Have a great day and thank you again.

GreenGables,

Welcome to NV! I hope to see you here often.

Geena's suggestions are great. Familarity with patient assessment and ACLS protocols/activity is key to comfort, I think - and comes only with practice, practice, and more practice.

One of the things I do which has elicited spontaneous comments of appreciation from many a new nurse is to have him/her stand by my side as I scribe during cardio/pulmonary arrests or traumas. I describe what is happening, what is being done and why, and what I anticipate. In creating a safe environment in which the new nurse may view a code/trauma in its entirety, I enable them to learn more quickly than they would by either watching by themselves or by jumping in to do a task/give a medication. The new nurse then (with me at his/her side) acts as scribe at the next code/trauma. I wonder if this approach might serve you well.

Again, welcome to Nursing Voices!

Joy