First Code today

[lampnyter]

Today was my first code. Being a basic i couldnt do much but it was still a crazy experience. We are dispatched to a fall and pt is unconscious. Called back telling us it was a code. Dispatch said that family started CPR. Turns out it was a 70 y/o female with terminal cancer. There is no DNR so the family tells us to do everything. Pt was asystole. Put her on autopulse and medic gives epi, atropine and biocarbonate and also intubates. After about 20 minutes we got a pulse on the pt. We then transported and when we got to the hospital the family decided to extubate the pt. In the end all our work was for nothing but i still felt proud that we got her back to a pulse.

 

[WARR]

Well it happens. IMO At least you gave the family an option rather than no option. I think that is what matters.

 

[the_negro_puppy]

Family should have had DNR so depressing. At least you got the experience. I have had only 3 codes (cardiac arrests) in nearly 1 year on the road. Not too common here. Good effort at getting a ROSC though she would have been brain dead. Guidelines for terminal patients should be enhanced to include things like DNR.

 

[Akulahawk]

That was a valiant effort, though ultimately, futile. What you all ended up doing was treating the family, which is often as important in terminal cases. You bought them time to really think about things and take the right action, and feel right about it. Sometimes the patient really is the family. Care for them too.

 

[MagicTyler]

EMTs have the most important job in a code... the only things PROVEN to be effective in cardiac arrest are cpr and electricity. Back on topic. Glad your first code had a sorta happy ending. I can remember almost ever detail on the first code I worked. Its a very strange experience.

 

[ZombieEMT]

My first code was on this past Thanksgiving day, it was pretty amazing to have a save on my first code, really good feeling. It was like a holiday miracle. Do not think that efforts are not recognized as a basic, CPR and the use of an AED are very, very important in a code.

 

[Phlipper]

My first three shifts I had a code on every single one of them. They called me the Grim Reaper for a while. h34r:

 

[lex]

My first three shifts I had a code on every single one of them. They called me the Grim Reaper for a while. h34r:

Reminds me of my first day of field practicum. Three codes in my first 12 hours outside of the classroom. Talk about trial by fire. I did, at least for a brief moment near the end of the day consider turning in my uniform right then and there. If all I got to do everyday was pound on someones chest and deliver horrible news to family and friends then I had no interest in being in EMS, but once we finally made it back to the station at the end of our shift my preceptor mentioned that he couldn't remember the last code he had gone to before that day. He also told me that as much as he liked working for his money, if I was going to be that black a cloud that I was not welcomed back in his ambulance. Not sure what about that statement, or what within me convinced me to go back to the station the next morning, but I decided that I needed to give it one more shift before I threw in the towel, and I am so greatful that I did.

 

[lampnyter]

Was he joking about the not letting you ride with him thing??

 

[lex]

At the time I honestly wasn't sure, but when I showed up the next morning he called to me and told me to "jump in," so I went with it and proceeded to ride out the rest of my practicum experience on his truck I'd have to say yes! I think that was his way of telling me what I needed to hear, that everyday wasn't going to be like that first one was.

 

[lex]

And what Akulahawk said, about the family becoming your patient, is so true, especially in code situations. Sometimes it is hard to 'lose' a patient, especially when you have gotten them back, but giving the family the chance to say good bye, and to make that decision for themselves is often more valuable than any of us ever realize.

 

[anestheticmedic]

That's hilarious

 

[lightsandsirens5]

Three codes! Oh my gosh! I have worked two in one day, but that is all. And it took me three years before I did that even!

Most I ever did before that was three in ten days.

 

[MS Medic]

My first three shifts I had a code on every single one of them. They called me the Grim Reaper for a while. h34r:

Wow, that sounds familiar. My first on was about 15 min into my first clinical. Second was on my next clinical, which was my hospital clinical.

But congrats on the save.

 

[jjesusfreak01]

Reminds me of my first day of field practicum. Three codes in my first 12 hours outside of the classroom. Talk about trial by fire. I did, at least for a brief moment near the end of the day consider turning in my uniform right then and there. If all I got to do everyday was pound on someones chest and deliver horrible news to family and friends then I had no interest in being in EMS, but once we finally made it back to the station at the end of our shift my preceptor mentioned that he couldn't remember the last code he had gone to before that day. He also told me that as much as he liked working for his money, if I was going to be that black a cloud that I was not welcomed back in his ambulance. Not sure what about that statement, or what within me convinced me to go back to the station the next morning, but I decided that I needed to give it one more shift before I threw in the towel, and I am so greatful that I did.

Man, the odds of that happening have to be like 0. After the time spent working the codes and the time spent filling out the PCRs afterwards, amazing you had time to do 3 codes in 12 hours.

 

[jgmedic]

at my current job, had 13 arrests in 1st shift bid(approx 6mos.)

 

[NomadicMedic]

I responded to 5 codes in a shift. However, not one was actually a code. Seizures, diabetic, intoxicated person. Not one legit dead person in the whole batch!

 

[lex]

Man, the odds of that happening have to be like 0. After the time spent working the codes and the time spent filling out the PCRs afterwards, amazing you had time to do 3 codes in 12 hours.

Not only did we have three codes, we had six other calls in the same 12 hours. Definately one heck of a first day!

 

[WARR]

Where do you work at? Some places are extremely busy (mostly cities). Sounds like you're in a city.

 

[lex]

I am currently working in a rural service, annual call volume 1500, but at the tme I was doing my PCP field practicum and yes, I was in a city. Average day for the unit I was on was 4-5 calls per shift but there were quite a few days when we would do 10+. My preceptor loved, and hated me.