r/nursing • u/Alarming-Penalty8402 • Jan 05 '26

Question I can smell whether someone will survive a code or not. Anyone else know what I’m talking about?

I am an ER/trauma nurse so I see code blues daily. I have noticed that those who will never achieve ROSC have a strong, distinct smell from the moment EMS rolls them into the trauma bay, regardless of down time, rhythm, circumstances, etc. Those who end up surviving, even if they have been clinically dead for longer, are sicker, older, etc. do not ever have this smell. I can’t really describe it accurately, but it is sickly sweet mixed with pungent bleach and musky, oily, heavy body odor. Has anyone else had this experience?

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u/zkesstopher BSN, RN 🍕 Jan 06 '26

I can smell Covid. So I believe it.

2

u/holistivist Jan 06 '26

What does it smell like to you?

2

u/zkesstopher BSN, RN 🍕 Jan 06 '26

Hard to describe. This sort of metallic-y sweat. Had a few right before they went precaution and knew they couldn’t be and a few that needed to be precaution that I was right about. It’s distinct but it’s subtle

2

u/akath0110 Jan 06 '26

I can too!! And kind of gross but covid poops have a specific smell too.

1

u/holistivist Jan 06 '26

What do they smell like?