Code Brown

In nursing there are jargon words and phrases for most things.
Most, people know ....NBM is, of course, nil by mouth. EUA is Examination under Anaesthetic and so on. The list is endless.
Apparently " Code Black" means a casualty department which is dangerously overloaded with patients ( or so American drama writers would tell us) but in this country, in clinical practice there is also the much repeated but rather less sexy " code Brown"
Code Brown literally means exactly what you think it does.
It's a whispered rally call for help when your bedfast patient " has been"  and it's a labour intensive and sometimes tiring job on intensive care, especially as sometimes it takes a whole team of nurses to do the deed. A deed that has to be carried out prudently and with dignity in mind.
A lot of code brown's on a shift cut into the 1001 other vital jobs on icu....and today I did feel somewhat jaded after just three hours sleep in bed.
The Prof and I went to Porth Eirias in Colwyn Bay and sat on the beach with a picnic
This Is how I ended up,
Portrait of a beached and very tired hippo baby!


55 comments:

  1. Looks like you caught the sun too! Enjoy a night in your own bed tonight.

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  2. What better place but a beach with that nice salt air to take your much needed nap. But you are so not a hippo baby .. babe maybe but not hippo.

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  3. Over here code brown is an 'inhouse hazardous spill', so I guess it means the same as yours!!!

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  4. awww, you look like an american at the beach this holiday (for us) weekend. someone has a birthday coming up this week, I think...

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  5. As a psychiatric student nurse where clinical handovers are much more discursive, I was mystified by a handover on the medical ward placement I did. A short excerpt: "Mrs Jones, 78, COAD, NFR, TLC" then on to the next patient. I'm sure you can translate, John.

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    Replies
    1. Its COPD
      Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      NFR
      Not for resus
      TLC
      tender loving care
      X

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    2. I will watch out for that as I have COPD. x

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    3. I'm sure that they used to use Chronic Obstructive airways disease. Which would account for the 'A' I have worked for many years for the NHS and have seen this written.

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  6. As I tell my grandchildren, "Everybody poops."

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  7. I like the sand on your elbows!

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  8. I can imagine, after that shift, lying on the beach and breathing in that lovely clean sea air was just what was needed!

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  9. It feels so good to sleep on the beach with that ocean sound in the background - looks like it did you good.
    You have a birthday coming up?!
    Mine was yesterday - what day is yours?
    Gemini's are wonderful, aren't we?..haha

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    1. Happy belated birthday wishes
      Mines on wednesday x

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    2. Well then, happy !!! birthday wishes early xx

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  10. I do not intend to end my days in a cycle of code brown incidents, but I suppose nobody does. Ever since I was a kid, I have always thought, 'One more day when I haven't shat myself - great!'. Is this a positive or a negative outlook on everyday life?

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  11. Very cute and peaceful baby!

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  12. I love a yellow rocket too.

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  13. Dirty bitch.its suncream

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  14. That is such a lovely picture of you John...a moment in time caught when you can really hear the sea and feel the sand.

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  15. I think you look very much Code Red in the photo John! Get some after sun cream on those arms :)

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  16. I like the medical code GOK which stands for God Only Knows. I look every time I have been admitted. Love Andie xxx

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    1. Thats a new one on me though I HAVE seen NFN
      Which means Normal for Norfolk

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    2. I thought about NFN too. I have it on good authority it really is used 😳

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    3. nothing's 'normal' in Norfolk, not even the weather!

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  17. Nothing like a snooze on the beach. Hope you've got some restful days ahead.

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  18. Glad that you got some much needed rest.
    And happy birthday for Wednesday. When I hope you are not working.

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  19. Glad you got to kip on the beach x

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  20. The trouble comes when you change hospitals or even countries and the codes are completely different.

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  21. When I was a child, I lived near the ocean in California and in Hawaii ... NY changed all of that ! Now I am in Florida and 20 minutes from the ocean again.
    There is nothing like being near the ocean for just a short amount of time .. the sound, sight and smell is good for you..

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  22. On Wednesday, I will go to the Beach .. 20 minutes from where I live and I will shout across the ocean, Happy Birthday John !
    Let me know if you hear me <3

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  23. I have often wondered how that was managed in ITU, somehow I imagined something more controlled and clinical.

    You deserve many sunny beach sleeps xo

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  24. I admire your work and fortitude. My brother works as a Registered Nurse here in the states and whenever I visit, he has loads of stories. I don't know how you do it.

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  25. I so want ro run for the hills, comment from grandson was grandma is not dead yet can you give her more morphine, she has a big house . WTF .reported him!.

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  26. What an endearing shot of the tum over the top of your shorts. Sorry to be so personal but we have one of those in our household as well.

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  27. I think all you nurses deserve a medal.

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  28. If I heard a "Code Brown" I think I would suspect exactly that. You certainly earned that beach nap!

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  29. Good to see you caught up on sleep on the beach, John. I take my hat off to people who care for other adults who are bedridden and incontinent.

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  30. "Mummy! Mummy! Look! A basking shark has been washed up on the beach... or it might be a porpoise!"
    "Shut up Manhattan and eat your pizza!"

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  31. One of the consultants used to write FLOF found lying on floor; and HUP handbag under pillow. Cannot use them now as they would not stand up in court. Love Andie xxx

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  32. As a midwife we used 'Mrs Brown is fully!' (dilated) It meant that tea was brewed.

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  33. As a midwife we used 'Mrs Brown is fully!' (dilated) It meant that tea was brewed.

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    1. We used to save some breakfast bacon for " the patient in
      Xray"
      There was no patient in xray

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  34. You look adorable no matter how your pictured. I just hope you washed our hands.

    And it's always obvious when a photo is taken on a UK beach; almost everyone is dressed!

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  35. We still use 'code brown' after our time on PICU.
    You do an amazing job Sir! You're a hero!

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  36. FLK (funny looking kid) was standard in the hospital I worked at in the Eighties, with its variations eg FLKBCOTP (funny looking kid but check out the parents). I also liked FFFT (fits, faints, and funny turns.)

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  37. Last week, after I graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in creative writing (at the ripe young age of 57) I let my nursing licence of 30 years go "inactive." It was sad and exciting all at once. The friendship developed with other nurses over code browns, code greys (tornado!) code red (CPR starting) and code pink (Abducted infant) are the best friendships of all kind. Carry on fellow nurse !

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