So today I was back on CCU. Easy, yeah. So there are some differences in nursing. Most obvious is they call the drugs by their brand name not their generic names which makes it really hard. Like paracetamol is Panadol. Diazepam is Valium. There are loads. So there is a slight barrier there.
Well all was going well. Until a relative asked me to look at a patient. Hasten to add was not my patient. So off I went to the bedside, where I was confronted with a very sick individual. I had to take too looks to check he was still with us (ie alive). So any way, in nursing people know when things are going wrong by what and how you say something. For example when you hear a colleague saying a patient's name about three times and the voice gets louder and louder each time, you know something is wrong, and you instinctively go to see if they need any help. And when a nurse shouts 'can I have some help in here' you know by the tone that they mean now.
Australia does not grasp this! So I goto the man who is barely with us. And I am saying his name about three times, each time my voice is louder and you can make out the subtle panic in my tone. So thinking my colleagues will be here by now, seen as there are about 9 nurses around, I take a look, nothing. So I shout (and we all know I aint quiet) 'Can I have some help!'. And nothing. So I shout again. Thinking maybe someone else ha arrested somewhere else. Nope.
So I have to leave the guy and physically go grab some help. Shouting for Crash Trolley and more help. There are no emergency buzzers on the unit. Well they look at me with blank expressions, then see the poorly man and get the Code Cart and put out a Code Blue.
So know I have learnt the hard way that it is pointless shouting for help and to just shout 'Code Blue'. Anyway all ended well. It is amazing what some adrenaline, atropine and fluids do for you. Missed me evening tea break though.
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