DNR means do not resuscitate. This is one of the first things a medical professional looks in a patient’s chart, as this tells the client’s status and their wishes. It is really important to know as a nurse, doctor, respiratory therapist and certified nursing assistance, etc to know your patient’s code status. As a team we all need to know our patient’s code status, that way we are all on the same page and one is not trying to resuscitate a patient who requested to be a DNR. Just like the scenario, the nursing assistant provided CPR to the patient she was caring for, as she was unaware of the patient’s code status. Each hospital should have a policy where a client’s code status is easily visible for all the healthcare professionals caring
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It is always best to discuss the code status with a patient’s family so when it comes down to being an actual DNR, the family is on the same page and does not have any conflicting information, which can add to more stress for the caretakers and the family members. As a working licensed vocational nurse, it is very important for me to know my patient’s code status even before I enter their room. By knowing my code status, I can alert my nursing assistance, physical therapist, transporters and other team members about my client’s code status. For example, if my client has a CT scan order and requires to be from a unit, it is important for the transporter and others to know my client’s code status. A DNR can be presented in a client’s living will or health care power of attorney. This decision is made by the client him/herself or a client’s power of attorney can also make this decision based on the client’s health condition. An example that I recall was when I worked in an ICU setting as a unit secretary, where the critically ill patient who was a DNR and was given CPR. Although the patient did not make it, the nurse who was responsible for that patient got in trouble. As a nurse, it is best to read each and every information before proceeding into a new admission, most importantly a client’s code
It is always best to discuss the code status with a patient’s family so when it comes down to being an actual DNR, the family is on the same page and does not have any conflicting information, which can add to more stress for the caretakers and the family members. As a working licensed vocational nurse, it is very important for me to know my patient’s code status even before I enter their room. By knowing my code status, I can alert my nursing assistance, physical therapist, transporters and other team members about my client’s code status. For example, if my client has a CT scan order and requires to be from a unit, it is important for the transporter and others to know my client’s code status. A DNR can be presented in a client’s living will or health care power of attorney. This decision is made by the client him/herself or a client’s power of attorney can also make this decision based on the client’s health condition. An example that I recall was when I worked in an ICU setting as a unit secretary, where the critically ill patient who was a DNR and was given CPR. Although the patient did not make it, the nurse who was responsible for that patient got in trouble. As a nurse, it is best to read each and every information before proceeding into a new admission, most importantly a client’s code