01-20-2008, 07:27 AM
First Hand DNR means: Do Not Resucitate. So it only pertains if pt has cardiac arrest you DO NOT RESUCITATE, but patients are still entitled to receive the other services: if the patient has a seizure you give all the workup give treament, stop the seizure do EEG do CT/MRI to find cause. If the patient has a stroke same thing, if the patient has shortness of breath/pulmonary edema/pulmonary embolism/MI/ anything you fight for that patient and you HAVE to provide care similarly to other patients as long as the patient'sheart is beating and he is able to sustain himself hemodinamically, even if you need to give inotropics....as long as that patient isn't in cardiac arrest DNR means NOTHING.
Furthermore, if patient is ONLY DNR and patient goes into respiratory arrest you HAVE TO INTUBATE THE PATIENT (DNI= Do Not Intubate). And surprisingly you can see patients that are only DNR but will accept intubation as long as this doesn't involve cardiac arrest.....So make sure you know this. Following strictly what the paper/agreement/law states you only do not make cardiac compressions when the patient has cardiac arrest. That is DNR....
Furthermore, if patient is ONLY DNR and patient goes into respiratory arrest you HAVE TO INTUBATE THE PATIENT (DNI= Do Not Intubate). And surprisingly you can see patients that are only DNR but will accept intubation as long as this doesn't involve cardiac arrest.....So make sure you know this. Following strictly what the paper/agreement/law states you only do not make cardiac compressions when the patient has cardiac arrest. That is DNR....