Code Blue/Rapid Response
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The Code Team at UIHC consists of 2 senior medicine residents, a medicine intern, a surgical resident, and an anesthesia resident.
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The Code Team at VAMC consists of a medicine senior and medicine intern. Anesthesia staff and a surgery resident are also part of the team; they are in house during business hours and on home pager during off-hours. The MOD is always available and can be paged to come to a code.
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If you are the first one to arrive, assess the patient and start the ABCs of ACLS. The seniors will be there soon.
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Think of ABC — 5B’s — D:
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Airway — do you need one?
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Breathing — bag-mask ventilation
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Circulation — BP, pulse, IV access
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Bed board — remove and place under patient
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Box — crash cart, monitor
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Bucket — suction
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Blood — ABG, accucheck, STAT labs
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Back-up — have someone call your senior and the code team
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Destination — arrange for transfer to an ICU
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Always leave an Event or Code Note in the chart for all significant overnight events, including patient transfers to an ICU, rapid responses, and codes.
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Use the EPIC templates to write event notes after every Code Blue or Rapid Response. These can be found by changing the note type to “Active Issue/Provider Note”. You can then use F2 to access templates for Rapid Response, Code Blood, and Death Notes (among others).
