Thursday, November 08, 2007

DNR

Speaking to a friend of mine who's a nurse the other day, she lamented that people do not give thought to DNRs - making it clear that you are not to be resuscitated if you would not benefit from it. Yes, yes, you would still be breathing - but whether you would be "alive" and fully functioning is another thing. There's a move on in Britain to let experienced nurses decide if a patient should be resuscitated rather than doctors. The reasoning - it's thought that nurses actually spend more time with patients than doctors do, and may therefore be better placed to know patients wishes ... especially as it isn't always appropriate in the final stages of someone's life to ask them or their families if they want to be resuscitated - and the reigning policy has been that if in doubt, the patient must be resuscitated, even if there is a small chance of success.So, I asked my friend, if you don't want to be resuscitated, is it better to have a big DO NOT RESUSCITATE tattooed on your chest. She gave an emphatic yes.

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