It always happens in 3's

How is it in the medical profession everything happens in threes....someone dies...it is in 3s...someone codes...it is in 3's..someone falls ...it is in 3's....well this week we had 3 codes in a matter of 48 hours on our floor.....is it the change of season..the lunar force...time change...don't know if anyone out there has an answer let me know....another thing is Full moons..if you are working in a hospital, you don't want to work during a full moon...crazy things happen...for us ...people fall, leave ama or do crazy things...like being admitted for alcohol detox and leave the unit to go to the downtown bar...again..lunar forces????
The codes on our floor were from a man being unresponsive, a staff nurse suffering a panic attack (aka chest pain) and a patient who decided to not breathe very well because of his moprhine for pain medication.....of course they all happened when I was there..and 2 out of the 3 happened right before I was ready to leave work....so much for getting out of work on time..and the last one happened on a Friday afternoon..not very good timing...but codes never are...but I do have to commend the nursing staff, respiratory, ems, and my attending for always doing a great job and acting smartly and quickly in providing great emergency care....until next time...watch out for the full moons...and remember it always happens in 3's

DNR

The worst part of my job is discussing DNR status with a patient or their family. I find people are not well educated as to what really happens when a patient is found without a pulse or breathing...people only know what they see on TV which really doesn't protray the reality and success rate of CPR....the drama of doctors and nurses beating on someone's chest and putting pattles on someone and then showing the EKG monitor going from aystole to NSR is not what really happens. I had the opportunity to really explain the success rate of CPR to a family member the other day...I have to say this is probably the 100th time a provider has explain this him during his brothers longterm stay and he always says "I want to do to my brother the same thing I want for me"....well the reality is that the healthiest person will only have a 20% survival if CPR is preformed on them....if the person, like this patient, has any other health problems(emphysema, ascvd and heart disease) that 20% significantly drops...then I get the question...what would you do if it is one of your family members...I don't even want to go there...why does hearing what I would do help you decide what you are going to do...just know the fact plus look at the quality of life...this particular patient has already has a poor quality of life...has dementia,fed by tube feed is dependent in his care, is immobile, needs a lift to get him in and out of bed...I just don't understand how his family sees that doing CPR will make this man's life any better.....I am all for doing the best for our patients and do no harm but really what is truly the best for this patient...I just hope after my lengthy conversation with this patient's brother, that he really makes a sound and educated decision....I know thats what I would want for my family members...