A DNR that went wrong.

[Jehanne]

I have been doing work in healthcare as of late, and to protect confidentiality, I will be somewhat vague here.  Recently I visited a home of an elderly lady to setup some medical equipment for her.  While I was doing so, she complained to me how she had went to the hospital and that the medical staff "had brought me back" and that they had not "honored my DNR".  She was completely lucid and was able to stand and move under her own power.  After my initial shock at her statement, I told her that I was so very glad that she "was here".

But, from that moment on, I was anxious to finish my work and leave!  I did wish her a wonderful day and week!!

[Silver]

Even dementia patients can seem to have moments of clarity.

[Jehanne]

Even dementia patients can seem to have moments of clarity.

She was living alone, in a very nice apartment.  Anything is possible, of course, but, if she had dementia, she would have been elsewhere; at least that's been my experience.

[Silver]

There are varying degrees of dementia, but of course only a psyche professional could properly diagnose her.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

There's not enough info to determine if her dementia - if any - is relevant to the hospital not honouring her DNR. Let's assume she does have dementia, with the typical good days and bad days. If she had a DNR we have no way of knowing when it was issued. It's perfectly plausible that she arranged for it pre-dementia.


Boru

[The Valkyrie]

I save time by just writing in DNRs on my patients' charts.

[Silver]

I save time by just writing in DNRs on my patients' charts.

Genius! Who'd a thunk it could be that easy?

[Jehanne]

Maybe being a materialist with no expectation or hope of afterlife, all of this is a bit strange to me!

[arewethereyet]

When one of my grandmothers got up in years she requested a DNR because her sisters and brother, grandpa and many of her friends were already gone. Perhaps it's just a person being ready to go and not wanting heroic measures taken.

It seems that going forward to put a DNR in place that a person's wishes should be followed. At the end, with my dad, even though he had a DNR and was clearly of sound mind though failing body, he reiterated his wishes to the doctor who then had to meet with one of us kids (me, as it turned out) to make sure dad really, really wanted this. Dad's DNR was something he updated every few months in his last three years of life but it was still questioned when it got to that point.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

When one of my grandmothers got up in years she requested a DNR because her sisters and brother, grandpa and many of her friends were already gone.  Perhaps it's just a person being ready to go and not wanting heroic measures taken.  

It seems that going forward to put a DNR in place that a person's wishes should be followed.  At the end, with my dad, even though he had a DNR and was clearly of sound mind though failing body, he reiterated his wishes to the doctor who then had to meet with one of us kids (me, as it turned out) to make sure dad really, really wanted this.  Dad's DNR was something he updated every few months in his last three years of life but it was still questioned when it got to that point.

I don’t understand how it’s ethically possible to NOT honour a DNR. It doesn’t violate medical ethics or the Hippocratic Oath, it isn’t physician-assisted suicide, it’s not a sanctity of life issue, and it’s certainly not forcible medical treatment. It should be a consenting, competent adult’s inviolate right to decline medical treatment for themselves , no questions asked.

Boru