CPR in progress

Last shift was pretty good overall, I managed to get about 2 hours of sleep so I was happy. We ran a few boring calls, but had an interesting diabetic call and the one I'm going to write about...cardiac arrest.

Radio: respond to 123 anystreet for a person down unconsious, not breathing.

While enroute (it was in the next territory over), the engine company onscene gave a update.

Engine: we have CPR in progress at this time, tell Rescue to step it up

Minutes later we were onscene. We grabbed ALL the gear off the unit and headed inside (both jump bags, the monitor, drug box, and suction kit). As we made it inside and into the room with the patient, the engine crew looked somewhat relieved. The paramedic I was working with replaced the pads from the AED with the ones from our monitor and hooked up a couple leads.... The patient was in asystole (I'm sure Scott could explain this better than I could). CPR continued while the patient was intubated. Moments later, we found a good sign, he had a pulse.

Don't get your hopes up, it didn't last long. The engine crew had already shocked him twice with the AED before we arrived.

A couple IVs were started and Epi and Atropine were pushed through one, a lidocaine drip was also hung. One of the guys on the engine rode in the back with us and another drove us to the ER. The gentleman had to be shocked a few times between the time we got him loaded until we dropped him off at the hospital. But another good sign was that he was trying to breathe a little on his own.

I've only been out of training a month and a half and I'm still learning how to do things even on a routine call. I'm starting to get more comfortable with my patient assessment and other skills. I can fill out the paperwork but need a little help with my narrative. I'm still struggling, but I'm learning my territory fairly quickly.

I'm not going to lie and say I knew what was going on the whole time, I've never been on a cardiac arrest before. I helped out by handing things to the people who needed them and really just trying to stay out of the way. Now that I've been on one, I'll have a better idea what needs to be done next time and will gladly jump in without being told what to do. I guess I was a bit overwhelmed in the controlled chaos of it all. But that's OK, I'm still learning and worked with the engine crew a couple weeks before... They knew it was my first cardiac arrest and helped me get through it.

Looking back, I'm not sure if there was much I could have done. There were 5 of us plus the patient in a bedroom, on the floor in what was maybe a space as big as a doorway.

I'm not trying to jinx myself, but if I'm assigned to the rescue again tomorrow, I kinda hope to transport another patient to that ER so I can try to see if the gentleman made it. Either way, I can't help but feel for his family, especially at this time of year.

Tell a loved one that you love them, and take care as always