Blue Code is used in situations requiring emergency intervention, such as cardiac or respiratory arrest.
In these cases, the extremely limited intervention time must be used to perform the most rapid and effective resuscitation possible. During a Blue Code, only 2–5 minutes are available for expert intervention to prevent irreversible damage to the patient’s vital functions.
The Blue Code concept was first implemented at Kansas Bethany Medical Center.
Hospitals have a Blue Code Procedure that defines responsibilities and actions to be taken during such events. To ensure effective intervention, emergency response equipment is available at designated Blue Code Points throughout the facility.
A Blue Code System, typically composed of technological solutions, is used to notify specialists quickly and efficiently and to maintain event records. For convenience, the internal telephone code is often set to 2222.
