Nursing Reflection on Cardiac Arrest

Nursing is a profession where we have to work collaboratively with both our colleagues and the interdisciplinary team. In emergency like cardiac arrest, if nurses work as a team without any role confusion, time is saved resulting in saving many precious lives.

Background
It was the time when I started to work in a medical ward for the first time after my graduation in Nursing. I had been caring for one patient during my shift, a 38 year old male who had been admitted for treatment of FUO (Fever of unknown origin). After he had his breakfast and was waiting for consultants rounds, suddenly he collapsed. He was not breathing and not responding. Code blue was announced.

Noticing
* I assessed for patients responsiveness.
* On assessing carotid pulse, I felt no pulse.
* I assessed respiration.
* There was confusion among staff regarding their roles.
* We did not know what to do next.

Interpreting
Even if the code blue was initiated at once, time was lost because of confusion among the responders in terms of who should do what and what is to be done next.

Responding
I therefore decided to prepare an action plan to develop my nursing knowledge in this area. I looked at various nursing journals detailing how to deal with this type of situation. I provided knowledge in hospital set up to all staff how to initiate CPR, what are the responsibilities of each responder until code blue team arrived. Once an emergency is identified, one staff must activate the local emergency call system (emergency buzzer) and ring the switch board by dialing the code and stating that code blue or medical emergency, exact location, and name and designation of staff. Staff member should remain with the patient; commence basic life support if necessary; be prepared with details of the event; and assist code blue response team once the team arrives. Another responder is to direct the team to the incident location. One of the staff must collect the resuscitation trolley and transport it to the emergency. Every staff member will be allocated tasks to assist the responds team. Moreover, frequent mock drills should be conducted in ward set up. So that, everybody is familiar with what interventions are to be carried out. Refection on Action

The number of people to that area is to be restricted to reduce the confusion, give enough space and time to responders to act. Learned how to operate a defibrillator, how to be organized, and not to panic in such situation. Keep clarity of thought and mind. Being quick and yet being ordered in my approach is very important in such situation. The things I have learned about it will surely be helpful in my future career.

References

* Brunner and Suddarth’s. (2010). Canadian Medical Surgical Nursing. (2nd ed).Rene A.Day et al. * David Guatzer.(1999). Reviving Canada’s Health Care System. Code Blue. ECW press. * Scott S S & Elliot S (2009).A success story critical care nurse. Implementation of a rapid Response Team.29 (66-75). * Vaillancourt C (2004). Cardiac Arrest Care and Emergency Medical Services in Canada. J Cardiol. 20(1081-1890).