Custom Quick Reference Information Directories
GCC Blog

We hope you find our articles informative and interesting. If you'd like to receive our monthly newsletter with articles like these, please take a minute to sign up.

Health-Care Workers Struggle to Remember Codes, Study Says

February 6th, 2023 by Guest Communications

Written by: Nancy Clanton, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution – January 23, 2023

(TNS) – Anyone who has ever seen a medical show knows what a “code blue” is. For those not in the know, it’s a medical facility’s emergency code that a patient needs to be resuscitated. That isn’t the only color code, but it’s one of only a few health care workers know off the top of their heads, according to a new study by researchers at the  University of Georgia.

“Health care facilities have traditionally relied upon code-based notifications to quickly and efficiently alert employees to ongoing emergencies within or affecting the facility,” co-author Morgan Taylor, a doctoral student in the College of Public Health, told UGA Today.

Because there is no universal standard for these codes, they can differ from one facility to another. For their study, the UGA team surveyed 304 clinical and nonclinical employees at five Georgia health care facilities on 14 emergency codes at their respective workplaces.

The researchers found, on average, participants correctly identified their codes 44% of the time. The best known codes were for fire, infant abduction and cardiact arrest (usually a code blue).

The respondents said they received little training on the codes beyond being introduced to them during orientation. Not knowing what each means can result in a slower response time during an emergency.

“Codes are often confusing because we do not use or practice them regularly. It is unreasonable to assume that staff will retain the knowledge they receive during orientation, disaster simulations, or once-a-year in-service reminders,” Curt Harris, director of the Institute for Disaster Management and lead investigator of the study, told UGA Today. “It is also unreasonable to assume that just because the meaning of the color code is on the back of their badges, an appropriate and prompt response will ensue.”

The study points to research suggesting a switch from color codes to plain language could reduce confusion and cut down on training. Piedmont Healthcare’s hospitals switched to plain language emergency announcements in 2019.

“We know plain language communications reduce bystander panic and confusion. Our study highlights the continued need for effective training and education that helps translate this research into practice,” Taylor said.

For more content like this, sign up for the Pulse newsletter here.

©2023 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

This article appeared on Emergency Management News and is shared with consent: https://www.govtech.com/em/preparedness/health-care-workers-struggle-to-remember-codes-study-says


Guide to Guest Services
Fully customized vinyl information directories for your patients and their visitors. They are easy to update and easy to use.
Guide to Emergency Preparedness
Fully customized quick reference guides to help keep your staff prepared for emergencies.
Guide to Infection Control
Fully customized quick reference guide to help keep your staff prepared for safe infection prevention and control procedures.
Accessories for your guides
Protect your investment by utilizing one of our various mounting systems.
Other Popular Products
Customized products including 3-Ring Binders, Sports Memory Books, Menus, Hotel Directories, and more…