Rookie | Ethan Ramsey

Chapter 2~ Code Blue

Code Blue

"No. Nobody waiting at home tonight."
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"Ohmygod! Annie? Annie! Code Blue! Code Blue! I need some help in here!"

The heart rate monitor whined a long, flat tone...

"Code Blue! Come on, Annie stay with me!" Blue yelled desperately for backup, while trying to identify the cause of Annie's emergency. She started to frantically perform C.P.R. as she waited for the code team to arrive.

Just then, Jackie poked her head into the room, "Blue?" she called out, simultaneously checking on her fellow intern and inquiring the reason for her calling for a Code Blue. Blue looked up to meet her eyes up with Jackie in the doorway. "Jackie! Where's the code team?" she asked desperately.

Sensing the situation, Jackie replied, "Room 502 called a code blue just before you. Just keep up the C.P.R., they'll get to you when they can!" "That could be too late! Help me, Jackie! I'm losing her, and I don't know what's wrong!" Blue pleaded.

Jackie immediately snapped on her gloves and moved over to Annie's side. "What were her symptoms?" she asked.  "She was admitted for headaches and nausea.  She said it started during her vacation to Indonesia! Aurora and I did a blood workup and gave her cefpodoxime." Blue replied.

Jackie pulled Annie's gown aside only to reveal her breaking out in hives. "She's in anaphylactic shock!" Blue exclaimed. "Must be allergic to the antibiotics you gave her--" Jackie started. "Oh my god! This my fault, we need to save her now!", Blue said,
making Jackie nod in agreement at the last part, somewhat satisfied with Blue focusing on getting Annie back instead of wallowing in self-accusation.

"We'll have to get her heart started ourselves. Could you help me get the defibrillator... we'll start her at 300 volts!" Blue instructed Jackie, pulling herself together. Jackie went to pull in the defibrillator cart. Jackie took over C.P.R. while Blue opened Annie's gown, and took the paddles before applying gel to the undersides. Jackie paused C.P.R. to let Blue place the paddles on Annie. Once she had done so, Blue set the charge to 300 volts causing Annie's body to spasm as the paddles discharged. 

She then set the paddles aside and returned to compressions on Annie's chest. The monitor beeped once, twice... before her heartbeat returned, accelerated but constant!

Blue breathed out a huge sigh of relief before cheering, "Yes!""You're soooo lucky." Jackie joked good heartedly, impressed with how Blue handled the situation. "You give her an epinephrine injection and intubate. I'll maintain compressions." Blue gave further instructions. Jackie nodded, moving quickly to retrieve the epinephrine as Blue continued her compressions...

Suddenly, "What the hell is going on in here, Rookie?!" Blue and Jackie heard bellowing from the doorway. Blue gulped recognizing the voice and looked up, her eyes meeting steel blue ones, glaring at her. "Dr. Ramsey! Annie was allergic to the antibiotics I prescribed." Blue explained honestly. Ethan paused, a slight hint of pride swelling in his chest, "Well...at least you're taking responsibility. Sometimes patients don't know about their own allergies. That's why you always have to be cautious."

Jackie injected the epinephrine pen into Annie's thigh. Still unconscious, Annie took a shuddering gasp of air.  "And now we intubate." Jackie said out loud. "Excellent work, Doctor...?" Ethan started. "Varma." Jackie beamed in return. "You were assigned to this case?" he questioned her. "No, I was passing and heard Dr. Hunter calling a code blue." Jackie answered. "The patient's very lucky you were here. I'm not confident Dr. Hunter could have handled this alone." Ethan praised Jackie, knowing very well that Blue could have indeed handled the situation on her own, as he was watching her give out instructions to Jackie and saved Annie's life. But, he did not want to give Blue that satisfaction, as he wanted her to take the situation as a learning point, and going harsh on her while praising someone who had little part to play in the save, was the only thing he could think off.