By - Remember The ABCS
An urgent code blue or another patient emergency can often totally freeze the brain of even the most seasoned nurse. The urgency of patient emergencies can lead to confusing situations, so start with the basics when beginning resuscitation procedures on a critical patient – Airway, Breathing, and Circulation – ABC.
- Airway – Make sure the airway is unobstructed. If it is, take appropriate action.
- Breathing – Assess breathing sufficiency. Is there fluid in the lungs? Is the patient breathing? Is their breathing shallow?
- Circulation – Check for blood loss and proper circulatory function.
These steps are as relevant in your day-to-day work as they were on day 1 of nursing school. Remember to start with the basics when assessing a patient crash situation.
- Focus On Your Specialties
This will become natural as you get used to a hospital environment. Each staff member has certain tasks that they’re better at than others.
If you’re great at intubating and confident in your abilities, make sure you communicate that, and that you take over intubation duties on a patient during an emergency. If you’re good at CPR, make that clear – and take the lead on performing it.
When you perform tasks that you excel at, you can increase your confidence and help your team perform more efficiently in an emergency situation. You will also be more calm – you know what you’re doing, you’re great at it, and you can do it, no matter how urgent or critical your task is.
- Never, Ever Raise Your Voice
Raising your voice is a sure way to spread panic among other staff members, and doing so can also make you feel more nervous and uncomfortable. It’s a vicious spiral – as soon as one staff member begins shouting, the others may quickly follow, leading to a poor caregiving environment, especially if patient’s family members are present.
You’re a professional. You’re the voice of reason. Even if you feel like screaming and panicking on the inside, staying calm and maintaining a professional demeanor is crucial to performing your duties well.
- Debrief After The Incident
After the incident is over – no matter the result – the team responsible for the patient’s emergency care should begin communicating with each other. Discuss the incident with each other, talk about what you did right, what could be done better, and support each other – even the most seasoned doctors and nurses can be shaken by a rough code or patient emergency.
Doing so builds team support, and allows for constructive feedback and criticism, which will allow for a higher level of care for critical patients in the future.
The Best Way To Stay Calm Is To Be Prepared
All of the breathing exercises in the world won’t help you in an emergency situation if you’re unprepared.
The best way to ensure you are calm, professional, and providing your best possible level of patient care is by following the above 7 steps, and being prepared and ready for any and all possible patient emergencies.
So follow these tips, and when the time comes that an emergency code is called, take a deep breath, close your eyes for a moment, and know that you are ready. Get out there. Save a life.
