Do Not Resuscitate

Articles

“NY issues do-not-resuscitate guidelines for cardiac patients amid coronavirus”
(New York Post — April 21, 2020)
“While paramedics were previously told to spend up to 20 minutes trying to revive people found in cardiac arrest, the change is ‘necessary during the COVID-19 response to protect the health and safety of EMS providers by limiting their exposure, conserve resources, and ensure optimal use of equipment to save the greatest number of lives,’ according to a state Health Department memo issued last week.
“First responders were outraged over the move.”
Update on order:
“New York scraps do-not-resuscitate order during coronavirus pandemic”
(New York Post — April 22, 2020)
New York state officials have scrapped controversial new guidelines….
New York City Fire Department and first responders never adopted the no-revival directive from the state and kept using the traditional 20-minute Policy.
More on Coronavirus
More on New York

“Hospitals consider universal do-not-resuscitate orders for coronavirus patients”
(Washington Post — March 25, 2020)
Health-care providers are bound by oath — and in some states, by law — to do everything they can within the bounds of modern technology to save a patient’s life, absent an order such as a DNR, to do otherwise.  But as cases mount amid a national shortage of personal protective equipment or PPE, hospitals are beginning to implement emergency measures that will either minimize, modify or completely stop the use of certain procedures on patients with covid-19.

“Family turns son’s death into law banning secret ‘do-not-resuscitate’ orders”
(KOMU — June 26, 2019)
The bill, called Simon’s law. requires that hospitals make reasonable attempts to gain consent from a child’s parent or legal guardian before placing a DNR in his/her medical chart.
[Note: The bill was signed by Gov. Michael Parson on July 11, 2019.)

“That ‘Living Will’ You Signed?  At the ER, It Could Be Open to Interpretation”
(California Healthline — June 14, 2018)
DNR orders are often wrongly equated with “do not treat” at all.
More on Advance Directives

“Yes, Patients With Cancer Can Live With Metastatic Disease”
(ASCO Connection — April 24, 2018)
ASCO is the American Society of Clinical Oncology
A cautionary discussion of the way in which a DNR order can be interpreted as an order to keep a patient comfortable without treating symptoms of a curable condition.

“Do Not Sign A DNR Before You Read This”
(Investor’s Business Daily — March 28, 2018)
Correctly interpreted, a DNR bars just that one procedure — resuscitation.  But researchers are discovering that many doctors and nurses take DNR to mean you want end-of-life care only.  They misconstrue DNR as Dying, Not Recovering.

“Non Voluntary Do Not Resuscitate”
(National Review — May 2, 2016)
The “do not resuscitate order” (DNR) is an important part of medicine that allows terminally ill, injured and very aged patients die naturally without intrusive and potentially injurious efforts to keep the heart beating…DNRs are supposed to be only put on a chart with consent.  But as medicine grows increasingly technocratic, we see doctors or bioethics committees placing them on charts without consent — perhaps without discussion — with family or patient.

“Maine gov orders state to back mom in legal battle over baby’s DNR order”
(Fox News — September 5, 2014)
Maine Gov. Paul LePage reversed state bureaucrats and vowed to defy a state Supreme Court ruling if necessary to back a teen mom seeking to lift a “Do Not Resuscitate” order from her one-year-old baby, who was allegedly shaken into a coma but miraculously recovered.

“Unilateral Non Resuscitation at Mass. General!”
(National Review Online — May 12, 2014)
According to a medical study, since 2006, Massachusetts General Hospital’s Bioethics Committee has forced people to not receive wanted resuscitation by imposing unilateral DNRs. And apparently, it’s all done in Star Chamber secrecy….And who can be surprised that non-whites were more likely to have an involuntary DNR imposed?

“Unilateral Do-Not-Attempt Resuscitation Orders In A Large Academic Hospital”
(Medical Futility Blog — May 11, 2014)
Unilateral Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) orders are a specific type of medical futility decision in which clinicians withhold advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the event of cardiopulmonary arrest despite objections of patients or their surrogates.

“‘But Doctor, I Want to Live’: The Other Side Of The ‘Dignified Death’ Debate” 
(Forbes — December 18, 2013)
The emerging narrative about “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR) orders is that they are not utilized frequently enough….But there is another perspective as well, highlighted by a recent experience I just learned about, involving the mother of a friend.

“Forced DNR Coming to Texas?”
(National Review — 2/11/13)
The state with the worst futile care law in the nation now has legislation pending that would enable doctors to place DNR (do not resuscitate) orders on a patient’s chart without notice or permission — even if the patient is competent!