Resources For Code Leadership
Given that the overall trend, in the hospital as well as nationwide, has been a decline in the number of Codes and an increase in the number of Rapid Responses, Residents have expressed significant concerns of feeling unprepared in leading codes.
In response to this, we have sensed the need to implement a Code Leadership Training Series which includes the following components.
Goals:
– To improve Resident confidence in running codes
– To educate and improve code leadership skills including leader identification, organization, closed loop communication, talking out loud, and debriefing
-To make a new policy for identification of code leader with tangible identification (lanyards) to be passed off with code pager daily
-More consistent incorporation of debriefing after every code, irrespective of outcome
Interventions:
– Organizing hands-on mannekin based simulation of Code Leadership using case scenarios as a boot camp
– Ongoing monthly simulation sessions with more medically complex scenarios
– Ongoing education/ refresher courses available to MICU/CCU residents prior to the start of their rotation (as part of their orientation)
-Increase and make readily available resident resources:
- Pocket cards ( ACLS card1, ACLS card2, Roles of Leader)
- Reference articles (AHA 2010 Executive Summary, Resident leadership on codes, Impact of systems errors in code outcomes, AHA guidelines for symptomatic brady and tachycardia
- Educational slides
-Requiring code leaders to wear tangible indentifiers (Lanyards)
-Making code debriefing a strong recommendation after each code blue
For any questions or comments please email Apranta.Deka@bmc.org or Jill.Grounds@bmc.org .