Jump to content

ER/Trauma code I just saw...


Recommended Posts

So I work as an EMT for a transport company. We had to transfer a pt from one ER to another after he had a tib/fib fx. We drop our pt off and as we are giving the report I can hear the fire dept. encoding with a victim w/ multiple stab wounds coming in code 99. Incidentally our squad was blocked in by the incoming squad so I was able to watch the entire trauma team/ER crew run the code. I have to say it was one of the most impressive things I've seen. Despite this being the first time I've ever seen someone die in front of me, my already high level of respect for the ER staff has gone way up. I don't want to say "cool", but it was amazing to see the team work together as one unit. Everyone seemed to know what the other people around them were going to do and they had the pt intubated within a few seconds. It was pretty difficult to see everything that was going on because it was chaotic, but at the same time it was so controlled and they never seemed to be panicked. I only bring this up because I want to give all the EM people here their due praise for what they do every day. My main interest is in EM and knowing that I can witness that without it rocking my world makes me want to know everything I possibly can in order to be that efficient and effective in those situations. I know there are some awesome EM PAs in this forum and I just want to say keep up your fantastic work and keep inspiring us pre-PAers to be the best we can. I hope this isn't in any way inappropriate, I just wanted to relay my experience and how it affected me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator

places with designated trauma teams alwys run like this. there are assigned roles for each team member and inside of 10 min they can get a pt stabilized and to the o.r. with central lines, chest tubes, foley, intubation, etc already done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

places with designated trauma teams alwys run like this. there are assigned roles for each team member and inside of 10 min they can get a pt stabilized and to the o.r. with central lines, chest tubes, foley, intubation, etc already done.

 

I had assumed that, it was just impressive to watch. The medics had done a chest decompression & c-collar but otherwise they were doing compressions from the scene to the ER. They didn't have much time to do any thing else and the trauma team just worked it over so quickly it was an impressive sight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderator
I had assumed that, it was just impressive to watch. The medics had done a chest decompression & c-collar but otherwise they were doing compressions from the scene to the ER. They didn't have much time to do any thing else and the trauma team just worked it over so quickly it was an impressive sight.

sounds like a good candidate for field IO's x 2 for vascular access.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sounds like a good candidate for field IO's x 2 for vascular access.

 

I think it was maybe like a 10 block transport. Obviously they didn't want to stay and play, she was in pretty bad shape at the scene. So they didn't have much time to start many interventions. They actually had one of our EMT-Basics that I preceptor doing his medic ride time so he gave me a little of the scoop. Said they basically just pulled blood from the chest decomp and could barely get the c-collar on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sounds like a regional thing. Where I'm from, a "code 99" means an arrest in field. Similarly, a "66" is a DOA

 

Are these specific to your EMS system or to other systems in your region? We did away with codes about 10 years ago simply as they aren't consistent. We now use regular English. Heh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It sounds like a regional thing. Where I'm from, a "code 99" means an arrest in field. Similarly, a "66" is a DOA

 

Yep, Code 99 means CPR is in progress. I think its the same as code blue, just in an EMS setting, not in a hospital setting. Don't quote me on that but I think that is the case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, Code 99 means CPR is in progress. I think its the same as code blue, just in an EMS setting, not in a hospital setting. Don't quote me on that but I think that is the case.

 

At one of the hospitals I worked at (as an EMT) they were running out of colors so we suggested they use "Red with a blue stripe down the middle" and "plaid". Hehe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

As already mentioned, I can attest to code words and numbers being highly regional or system-specific. I have worked in a hospital that overhead paged "code 99's" same as a code blues (at all the other hospitals I have worked at), as well as worked on a bus that would simply say "____ hospital short ETA -abbreviated report cause patient is dead-", or sometimes "coming in hot" or just let the nurse on the other side figure it out from report plus the sirens in the background. Haha.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to the Physician Assistant Forum! This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn More