As I have previously stated, our hospitalist program runs on the shift model. I work when I work. I play when I play. Today was a beautiful example of why you should ask for a hospitalist if you are ever admitted to a hospital.Our group is large. 18 docs. 2 hospitals. 7 rounders during the day. 2 at night. We run all in hospital non pediatric cardiac arrest. You know. CODE BLUE.
It's been a bit slow today. It is 7 hours into my 12 hour shift and I have yet to get a hospital admission or consult . Some days are crazy. Some days are relaxing. My two other partners have yet to check out to me. I lay here at work surfing the internet, waiting for something to do.
All of the sudden. CODE BLUE.
I have been involved in many a codes. None of them are ever the same. It is organized mass chaos. But is works. The most important thing to remember for CPR is hard and fast. Don't be a wimp. You need to push the heart through rib cage and fat and tissue. And you need to get that blood circulating. It is my mantra during codes.
My experience is that you walk, don't run to a code. 1/2 the time it is an accident. The code blue is canceled. The other half, is run by itself. Nurses and respiratory ACLS teams respond always and most of the time CPR is underway by the time I make it from the 1st floor to the 7th floor.
Walking also allows you to mentally think through your code rules. In this situation it was our patient (but not mine). Upon arriving one of my partners was already present. Resuscitation was underway. CPR, Epi. Feeling for pulse...etc...
I showed up. First assist. The back up. A different set of eyes to give a different perspective. My other partner (the patients doc) showed up shortly there after. We talked. Got the skinny. He had just seen her 10 minutes ago. No problemo. It's amazing to me why the body just simply decides to code on you.
What the hell? Regardless. Patient gets intubated. I offer to place a central line while the code doc finished up the paper work. We get the patient to the ICU, my subclavian is in within 15 minutes. Functioning. NG in. Vent hooked up.
Our consensus diagnosis is acute MI with a drastically changed EKG leading the way. Code to ICU, on a ventilator, with a central line. Triple teamed by a team of hospitalists at the bed side in 2 minutes flat. And all work complete in less than 45 minutes.
That's why you should ask for a hospitalist.
It's been a bit slow today. It is 7 hours into my 12 hour shift and I have yet to get a hospital admission or consult . Some days are crazy. Some days are relaxing. My two other partners have yet to check out to me. I lay here at work surfing the internet, waiting for something to do.
All of the sudden. CODE BLUE.
I have been involved in many a codes. None of them are ever the same. It is organized mass chaos. But is works. The most important thing to remember for CPR is hard and fast. Don't be a wimp. You need to push the heart through rib cage and fat and tissue. And you need to get that blood circulating. It is my mantra during codes.
My experience is that you walk, don't run to a code. 1/2 the time it is an accident. The code blue is canceled. The other half, is run by itself. Nurses and respiratory ACLS teams respond always and most of the time CPR is underway by the time I make it from the 1st floor to the 7th floor.
Walking also allows you to mentally think through your code rules. In this situation it was our patient (but not mine). Upon arriving one of my partners was already present. Resuscitation was underway. CPR, Epi. Feeling for pulse...etc...
I showed up. First assist. The back up. A different set of eyes to give a different perspective. My other partner (the patients doc) showed up shortly there after. We talked. Got the skinny. He had just seen her 10 minutes ago. No problemo. It's amazing to me why the body just simply decides to code on you.
What the hell? Regardless. Patient gets intubated. I offer to place a central line while the code doc finished up the paper work. We get the patient to the ICU, my subclavian is in within 15 minutes. Functioning. NG in. Vent hooked up.
Our consensus diagnosis is acute MI with a drastically changed EKG leading the way. Code to ICU, on a ventilator, with a central line. Triple teamed by a team of hospitalists at the bed side in 2 minutes flat. And all work complete in less than 45 minutes.
That's why you should ask for a hospitalist.
Hospitalist medicine is great! It's the type of medicine that people learn in medical school and residency. If I were an internist, I would certainly want to practice in this area. It's a great field because the patient's are high acuity, the hours are set, and most groups do not have call. The patient wins because he has a readily available physician at all times, and does not have to wait for his own doctor to arrive to the hospital.
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