Code Blue....anyone?

[rxforlife2004]

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I just got home from the hospital. Such a day! I had gone to 5 code-blues today, each last from 5-10 minutes. I am just wondering if there is any hospital pharmacist here that doesn't go to code blue?

 

[tussionex]

i don't.

we're pretty backwards about some things.

and, sometimes, i'm the only pharmacist in the house...so i kinda have to take care of everyone else!

 

[KARM12]

I don't either...but we are a small community hospital.

 

[Epic]

I don't either...but we are a small community hospital.

You actually got a job at a small community hospital?

 

[psychoandy]

I just got home from the hospital. Such a day! I had gone to 5 code-blues today, each last from 5-10 minutes. I am just wondering if there is any hospital pharmacist here that doesn't go to code blue?

Were they real codes though? I've arrived to several codes where the pt is aaox3...and of course there are like 20 interns/residents walking away frowning because a pt isn't actively dying in front of them.

It's not just small hospitals that don't respond. From friends I know on rotations, Boston Medical Center (a 600 bed public hospital run by BU) does not have pharmacists respond to codes...which I find really really weird considering they have one of the best pharm residencies in the city and I highly doubt there's any staffing issues preventing it.

 

[njac]

ideally we have a pharmacist present. doesn't always work that way. I would say less than 1/4 of our pharmacy staff is ACLS certified. On graveyard almost no one goes unless the ER pharmacist is still in house and has time. During the day the pharmacist watching that floor will usually go.

 

[KARM12]

You actually got a job at a small community hospital?

Yes I did! I love it! I do all the kinetics because all the old school pharmacists don't want to be bothered to walk up to the floors. It certainly beats the retail BS...the last straw was when one of my techs told a patient to meet her out in the parking lot. That just doesn't happen in a hospital!

 

[Epic]

Yes I did! I love it! I do all the kinetics because all the old school pharmacists don't want to be bothered to walk up to the floors. It certainly beats the retail BS...the last straw was when one of my techs told a patient to meet her out in the parking lot. That just doesn't happen in a hospital!

Thank Goodness...another soul saved! 👍

I'm happy for you. Those smaller comm hospitals are the best places to train..with a lot of freedom etc. If you need help, send me a pm... policy...protocols...etc. I won't charge much.

 

[KARM12]

Thank Goodness...another soul saved! 👍

I'm happy for you. Those smaller comm hospitals are the best places to train..with a lot of freedom etc. If you need help, send me a pm... policy...protocols...etc. I won't charge much.

Well thank you. Right now I just walk around and do whatever. I am the "clinical pharmacist" and no one really knows what I am suppose to do yet because I am the first of my kind there.

 

[pharmboy30]

no pharmacists at our hospital go to codes.

 

[pharmboy30]

I don't, but I'm overnights.
I only know of one pediatric code our clinical went to, she said she just stood around, no one asked her to do anything.

 

[PharmDstudent]

At my old gig, the pharmacists would be involved with the codes. They would rip open boxes of Epi and NaBicarb for the doctors. One day they had to use several boxes of STAT injections to save a transplant patient's life. The doctor almost called it all off too, but his patience paid off in the end.

The whole situation makes me think of what military pharmacy in Iraq would be like. Maybe ER plus a little triage.


Some of the PEDS pharmacists did not like to do code blues on the pediatric units, because they had already experienced an unsuccessful code. They were probably just superstitious about doing another code, but I don't blame them. They didn't want their patients to die, you know?

 

[tussionex]

At my old gig, the pharmacists would be involved with the codes. They would rip open boxes of Epi and NaBicarb for the doctors

so, i went to college for 6 years to open boxes?

i went to a few codes as a student and that's precisely what i did...as a student, i wasn't allowed to do much more.
as an employee, and ACLS certified, i hope they wouldn't just relegate the pharmacist to the "box opener"

 

[PharmDstudent]

so, i went to college for 6 years to open boxes?

i went to a few codes as a student and that's precisely what i did...as a student, i wasn't allowed to do much more.
as an employee, and ACLS certified, i hope they wouldn't just relegate the pharmacist to the "box opener"

They were in the hall on the way to the ER/ICU. The patient had a room at the hospital, but the pharmacist didn't make it to the code until they were almost in the elevator.

 

[psychoandy]

so, i went to college for 6 years to open boxes?

i went to a few codes as a student and that's precisely what i did...as a student, i wasn't allowed to do much more.
as an employee, and ACLS certified, i hope they wouldn't just relegate the pharmacist to the "box opener"

it takes a skilled person to flip the caps off and attach the abbojects together!!!

the funny thing is, some of the rph's i see go to codes making bags, of say like phenylephrine, take a lot longer than some/most RNs. the only thing ive seen that we do that's useful is mixing tpa since it's wicked expensive and we don't trust anyone.

too bad out of all of the codes i've gone to, its mostly strict ACLS algorithm once they figure out what's wrong...with maybe a couple more atropine/epis thrown in, but i'm sure it's like that everywhere else.

 

[Tessalon]

it takes a skilled person to flip the caps off and attach the abbojects together!!!

the funny thing is, some of the rph's i see go to codes making bags, of say like phenylephrine, take a lot longer than some/most RNs.

You are describing me! I graduated 6 months ago and we are responsible for going to codes. My IV making skills are seriously lacking, but I'm getting better at getting the caps off of the epi.

Our technicians make about 99% of the IVs during the day, so when I have to draw something up, I am lucky to not stab myself with the needle.

 

[MacGyver]

so, i went to college for 6 years to open boxes?

i went to a few codes as a student and that's precisely what i did...as a student, i wasn't allowed to do much more.
as an employee, and ACLS certified, i hope they wouldn't just relegate the pharmacist to the "box opener"

Yeah I guess we should just let you guys run the codes huh?

Step out of the way Dr. Smith, our pharmacist is going to run this code. 🙄

 

[tussionex]

Yeah I guess we should just let you guys run the codes huh?

Step out of the way Dr. Smith, our pharmacist is going to run this code. 🙄

um, try reading my post again. i know CPR just as well as the next guy who is ACLS certified. i'm not a paramedic, but i can do compressions like anyone else...especially with new algorithms that focus more and more on compressions.

 

[MacGyver]

um, try reading my post again. i know CPR just as well as the next guy who is ACLS certified. i'm not a paramedic, but i can do compressions like anyone else...especially with new algorithms that focus more and more on compressions.

First off, most everybody in the hospital is "ACLS certified" including the janitor.

Secondly, your tone just screams of a desperation for direct patient care, in which case you should have become a doctor and not a pharmacist.

Thirdly, compressions suck and are boring.

 

[Epic]

First off, most everybody in the hospital is "ACLS certified" including the janitor.

Secondly, your tone just screams of a desperation for direct patient care, in which case you should have become a doctor and not a pharmacist.

Thirdly, compressions suck and are boring.

Firstly and foremost...your tone just screams of desperatation for "look at me...I want attention!!"

 

[Epic]

First off, most everybody in the hospital is "ACLS certified" including the janitor.

Secondly, your tone just screams of a desperation for direct patient care, in which case you should have become a doctor and not a pharmacist.

Thirdly, compressions suck and are boring.

btw..they're not called janitor anymore.. nor should anyone looke down upon them. Every one is vital in healthcare.. no environmental service.. no clean beds for your patients.

 

[Coastie]

so, i went to college for 6 years to open boxes?

i went to a few codes as a student and that's precisely what i did...as a student, i wasn't allowed to do much more.
as an employee, and ACLS certified, i hope they wouldn't just relegate the pharmacist to the "box opener"

Pharmacists come to codes to provide quick access to appropriate doses of medications.

They do not run codes, they do not call out orders, they do not give compressions, secure the airways, or place lines for access.

They aren't box openers, but they are not the leaders in a code situation.

 

[Carboxilic774]

I have a couple of questions about this post:
What are "codes" in the hospital?
What is ACLS certified?
I am going to start working at a hospital next month as a first year intern, so I am not too familiar with the whole hospital language.

 

[tussionex]

First off, most everybody in the hospital is "ACLS certified" including the janitor.

Secondly, your tone just screams of a desperation for direct patient care, in which case you should have become a doctor and not a pharmacist.
.

nope, guess again. i'm an informatics pharmacist, and about as far from direct care as one can get; i love what i do.
just throwing out some lively discussion. 😀

 

[tussionex]

btw..they're not called janitor anymore.. nor should anyone looke down upon them. Every one is vital in healthcare.. no environmental service.. no clean beds for your patients.

👍👍

 

[Ethyl Methyl]

First off, most everybody in the hospital is "ACLS certified" including the janitor.

I think your statement is misleading. I might have believed you if you said "CPR certified." I doubt if housekeeping people have the necessary background to understand an ADVANCED cadiac life support course to get certified, that's all. Even nurses are not all ACLS certified.
As a tech, I've attended codes in my previous workplace (I was working graveyard shift with only one pharmacist so the techs went when there was a code). Most of the time, the code team get what they needed from the crash cart. Occasionally, they would ask for extra amp of bicarb, epi, atropine, etc. That was the extent of my participation.

 

[Knickerbocker]

First off, most everybody in the hospital is "ACLS certified" including the janitor.

Secondly, your tone just screams of a desperation for direct patient care, in which case you should have become a doctor and not a pharmacist.

Thirdly, compressions suck and are boring.

You'd think that someone in a position such as yours wouldn't have time to be trolling pharmacy forums.

 

[bananaface]

Don't forget about the report post button. 🙂

 

[Knickerbocker]

Don't forget about the report post button. 🙂

Sorry 🙁

 

[bananaface]

Sorry 🙁

Uh oh. Code purple! 😛

 

[ButlerPharm.D.]

1. A 'code' is a medical term for medical emergency. Codes are usually announced over the hospitals PA system and they are usually sent out through the paging system to the persons responsible for responding to such situations; typically MDs, PharmDs, respiratory therapists, RNs etc. Codes are usually announced when a patient is in imminent danger of dying, usually due to respiratory or cardiac arrest.

2. ACLS-Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is et of clinical interventions for the urgent treatment of cardiac arrest and other life threatening medical emergencies, as well as the knowledge and skills to deploy those interventions.

I have a couple of questions about this post:
What are "codes" in the hospital?
What is ACLS certified?
I am going to start working at a hospital next month as a first year intern, so I am not too familiar with the whole hospital language.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

1. A 'code' is a medical term for medical emergency. Codes are usually announced over the hospitals PA system and they are usually sent out through the paging system to the persons responsible for responding to such situations; typically MDs, PharmDs, respiratory therapists, RNs etc. Codes are usually announced when a patient is in imminent danger of dying, usually due to respiratory or cardiac arrest.

2. ACLS-Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is et of clinical interventions for the urgent treatment of cardiac arrest and other life threatening medical emergencies, as well as the knowledge and skills to deploy those interventions.

And don't forget about the other codes...they'll feel neglected...Strong, Red, Adam, Black...

No sweat Carboxilic...they'll be written on the back of your handy dandy hospital badge so you know whether to run or hide. 😛

 

[tussionex]

Pharmacists come to codes to provide quick access to appropriate doses of medications.

They do not run codes. quote]

i run plenty of codes....TSQL, PL/SQL.....* rimshot *


sorry. it's early for me and my sense of humor is pathetic and nerdy.


and that robert plant/alison kraus song makes me want to light the TV on fire.

 

[Carboxilic774]

Thank you