Code blue in the hospital: cardiac arrest, who calls and who responds
Code blue signals a cardiac arrest or a life-threatening emergency. Its definition changes from one facility to another. Here are those of four Quebec facilities.
In the hospital, "code blue" over the loudspeaker calls a team to a person in a life-threatening situation. The exact meaning of code blue depends on the facility.
What code blue means
- CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (integrated health and social services centre): "Code blue is used to signal the presence of a person in cardiorespiratory arrest."
- CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, July 2019: cardiac arrest or threat to life
- CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal: cardiac arrest
- CISSS des Laurentides, March 2024: medical emergency
Who is covered
At the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, the procedure brings help to anyone in cardiac arrest on the site: patient, staff member or visitor. It covers the adjacent grounds, up to the sidewalks.
What the witness does
At the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, the witness dials the emergency number in use at their facility and assists the victim. The trained response team then takes over.
The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal gives the witness four instructions:
- Notify security or the switchboard operator
- Give information about the situation and state the exact location
- Start resuscitation, if they have the required knowledge
- Stay on site until the responders arrive
What you hear
At the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, the announcement is "Attention, attention, code bleu", followed by the exact location. It is repeated three times. The end is announced the same way: "code bleu terminé" (code blue over) or "code bleu annulé" (code blue cancelled).
Code blue, code pink, code purple
- Code pink signals cardiac arrest in a child at three of the four facilities consulted
- Code purple signals a medical emergency other than cardiac arrest at the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal
The patient care attendant and code blue
The patient care attendant (PAB) who sees the situation is a witness and follows the procedure of their facility. At the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, the instructions are in the operational emergency plan, posted at the main entrance, at the security desk and near the elevators.
The other codes
Our articles on the other codes: code white, code pink, code purple, code yellow and code red. All the colours are gathered in the table of hospital colour codes.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a code blue in a hospital?
It is the call made for a cardiac or cardiorespiratory arrest. Some facilities add threat to life, and the CISSS des Laurentides defines it as a medical emergency. A trained team goes to the scene.
What is the emergency code?
Each facility has its own internal emergency number. The CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal uses 5555. The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale refers to the number in use at each facility.
What is the colour code for emergencies?
Health facilities classify their emergency measures by colour. The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale says it groups its own into 12 colour codes. The list and the definitions vary from one facility to another. At work, the procedure of your facility is the only one that counts.
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Sources
- CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Introduction aux mesures d'urgence, consulted on October 10, 2026
- CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Mesures d'urgence, leaflet, July 2019
- CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Présentation des codes de couleur, consulted on October 10, 2026
- CISSS des Laurentides, Mesures d'urgence, quality sheet, March 2024