Anatomy of a Code Blue: An Audio Narrative of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Abstract

Purpose: When an inpatient suffers a cardiac arrest most hospitals activate a response called a “code blue” or simply a “code.” Popular media often depict codes as quick and highly successful, although there has been a recent trend to emphasize their violence and futility. The reality is more complex. We aimed to produce an audio documentary that captures the subtleties and emotional truths that are missed by these extreme depictions. Methods: We recorded 28 hours of interviews with nurses, physicians, chaplains, housekeeping staff, patient care technicians, a unit coordinator and a pharmacist, as well as patients’ family members. We wrote and recorded narration to orient medical and non-medical listeners and edited the audio to create a 26-minute radio documentary. Results/Significance: The final piece, Anatomy of a Code Blue, follows the chronology of a typical code, incorporating multiple voices at each stage. Intended for the general public as well as the medical community, this work may inform approaches to end-of-life care, while also fostering reflection on the relationships among patients, families and hospital staff at these critical moments. It may have the potential to be used in humanities curricula for medical students, residents and other hospital staff, as well as patient and family education.