Sign the code form legibly and include the names of key code members, if that is the policy at your institution. Take care of the family. Remember that the patient's family will be terrified and, in the event of death, they will be grieving. Find a support person, such as a psychiatric liaison or staff nurse, chaplain, or social worker, to stay with them. The patient's physician will need to speak with them as soon as possible.
Families appreciate knowing, in gentle language, what is going on during the code.
The code and patient care teams will also need support. Emergency drug therapy plays a key role in the survival of code blue patients. Nurses in clinical areas need to be competent in BLS and familiar with emergency drugs and their use in accordance with ACLS protocols. Carol Gleason, RN, and Elizabeth Molle-Matthews, RN, were clinical educators at Hialeah Hospital, Hialeah, FL, when this article was originally written. Donna Washburn, RN, CCRN, staff development coordinator at South Jersey Hospital, updated it again in 2001 to reflect the recommendations from the International Guidelines 2000 Conference.