Question

Critical Thinking Questions: Code Management 1. Discuss nursing strategies to be implemented during and after a code to provide psychosocial support to family members of patients suffering a cardiopulmonary arrest 2. A surgical patient on a general nursing unit has just been successfully defibrillated with the use of an AED by the nursing staff. He is being manually ventilated with a BVD. Identify the current nursing priorities and their rationales. 3. You are the second nurse to respond to a code. The first nurse is administering CPR. Describe your first actions and their rationales 4. Your patient has a permanent pacemaker or ICD. How would care and treatment of this patient diffe in a code situation? 5. Some hospitals are now considering allowing family members to be present during a code. a. How could the presence of family members affect the management of the code? b. What factors should you consider before permitting family members to be present?

Answer 1

1.Nurse should use their effective communication skills to develop rapport with patient and family .Emphasize that the family about patient condition and treatment method.Nurse should build a good interpersonal relationship with others and also the cause for the CODE.

2.Defibrillation is used in life threatening situations like cardiopulmonary shock,ventricular arrythmias , etc.Defibrillator is a device which delivers electric current to stop any arrythmia and regain the normal sinus rythm. A nurse can handle a AED and also deliver shock to a patient.Priorities are to assess the vital signs including airway patency and also confirm the oxygen saturation . Monitoring these can give us the current situation of the patient whether patient has regained normal sinus rhythm .

3.Second nurses role:

• .Bring the e-cart and other emergency equipment on the site of code to provide emergency medications and as a dispenser of resuscitaion equipment
• Secure the backboard under the patient to prevent injury to ribs
• Manage airway by using an ambu bag or a pocket mask with one-way valve to ensure ventilation
• Switch role with the first responder in giving chest compressions to the patient as he may be tired.