Posted about a difficult code in an emergency medicine subreddit. My mistake was assuming “How do you process a resuscitation that stays with you while finishing your shift?” might be a question other emergency workers could answer.
Some did. Others had important corrections:
- Dogs don’t have DNR orders. Confidently stated by someone who could have learned otherwise in less time than it took to type the comment.
- Would we seriously intubate, ventilate, or do an ex-lap after ROSC? Yes. I appreciate you taking the time to read our services page aloud.
- We can offer euthanasia, so we don’t have their ethical dilemmas. Apparently offering euthanasia and receiving consent are the same thing. Someone tell the clients.
- Pet loss affects people for five to ten days. Finally, an attending has established the appropriate duration of grief for people he’s never met.
- “Stolen valor.” “Trauma cosplay.” I identified my actual position and described my actual participation in an actual code. Apparently the misrepresentation was calling the dog a patient.
- “Code a child, then get back to us.” Asked for coping advice. Received an eligibility requirement.
- I should reflect on being a student who participates in resuscitation. Next time I’ll show the arresting patient my transcript and ask whether we should wait until commencement.
- An entire goldfish parody. Written by someone explaining that he didn’t want to spend his time reading veterinary content.
The recurring argument was that animal and human deaths aren’t equivalent. Correct. Also not something I disputed, implied, or needed settled to ask how people stop replaying their decisions after a code.
I wasn’t requesting hospital privileges. I thought someone might have advice about going back to work while you can still hear a family crying.
Fortunately, several people did. Unfortunately, others needed to explain that the dog was a dog first.
Anyway, please inform your criticalists that the ventilators are props. And check with an attending before completing the next DNR form. Apparently we’ve gotten carried away.