So why am I writing about futile codes? The other day, I was speaking with someone about advanced directives and "code status." Some people want to be a "full code," even if they're dying from a terminal disease. Others want the letters "DNR" for Do Not Resuscitate written clearly on the chart. One big problem is that many patients and family members don't discuss code status with their loved ones. As a result, family members are faced with very difficult situations when their loved one is being supported on a ventilator and when they're asked if they ought to "pull the plug." We live in a world where advances in medical technology have made it possible for medical professionals to sustain life, but is this always a good thing?
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Should doctors be running futile codes? (Code Blue)
So why am I writing about futile codes? The other day, I was speaking with someone about advanced directives and "code status." Some people want to be a "full code," even if they're dying from a terminal disease. Others want the letters "DNR" for Do Not Resuscitate written clearly on the chart. One big problem is that many patients and family members don't discuss code status with their loved ones. As a result, family members are faced with very difficult situations when their loved one is being supported on a ventilator and when they're asked if they ought to "pull the plug." We live in a world where advances in medical technology have made it possible for medical professionals to sustain life, but is this always a good thing?
Labels:
emergency,
hospital,
medical student,
medical students,
residency
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DNR situations are very complex and even more stressful in the prehospital environment where an handful of EMTs and Paramedics are faced with making the decision to resuscitate and then performing the resuscitation in the patient's home. Often times with family gathered around.
ReplyDeleteMe and a few other paramedic bloggers wrote about "Going through the motions" - a theme similar to your post earlier this year. http://www.everydayemstips.com/?p=2315