How to Run a Code Blue

A code blue is the term hospitals and medical professionals use to describe a situation where a patient will need to be resuscitated. When a person has stopped breathing a code will be called. Members of the code team will response to a page or overhead announcement. Hospital policies will vary on who should be present at a code. Usually a physician, nurse, respiratory therapist and possibly a lab tech are members of the code team. The doctor usually runs the code.

Instructions

• 1

  Ensure all members of the code blue team are present. One nurse will be needed to write down everything that is done during the code such as medications given. A second nurse should be administering medications as directed by the doctor. A respiratory therapist should be present to assist with ventilating the patient.

• 2

  Follow advanced cardiac life support guidelines developed by the American Heart Association. Guidelines indicate which medications should be given depending on the heart's rhythm.

• 3

  Check breathing and pulse. If the patient is not breathing use an ambu bag hooked to oxygen to give the patient breaths. If there is no pulse start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR.) Keep in mind infants, children and adult CPR guidelines are slightly different. Follow the American Heart Associations guidelines.

• 4

  Reassess the patient. After a minute of CPR, stop compressions and check for a pulse. A patient should also be placed on a heart monitor. If a pulse returns, the heart rhythm may not be normal and the patient may still need treatment.

• 5

  Administer medication. The medications given will be determined by what type of heart rhythm, if any, the patient has. Medications may include Epinephrine, Amiodarone, Lidocaine and magnesium.

• 6

  Use a defibrillator. It delivers an electrical shock to the heart to treat different cardiac arrhythmias. The dose of electricity can be set by the doctor and will vary depending on the situation. Keep in mind not all patients will require defibrillation during a code.

• 7

  Observe the patient for changes. Each code blue situation will be different. Some patients will respond to CPR and medications immediately. Other patients may not respond. The physician will need to take into consideration the patient's age, underlying medical condition and what caused the patient to code when determining how long to continue to work on the patient without a response.