Is DNR (do not resuscitate) a good idea?

Even my 13-year-old son was able to handle having this conversation. He died of AML in January of 2007. Just prior to TBI for SCT, the doctor mentioned a living will. Joseph wanted to know what that was, we talked about it, he thought about it and then calmly told us if there was no chance he would get well, to let him go. Months later, after four weeks on a ventilator for CMV pneumonitis, the day after his doctors gently suggested for the first time there was no hope, we made the decision to release him from his suffering. He passed within five minutes of the machines being turned off. It gives me peace to know we honored his wishes. It is unfortunate that more people cannot respect the desires of the dying. There IS such a thing as a good death. To me, DNR can be one part in allowing a good death to happen. His passing was peaceful, dignified and calm with all his nurses and his oncologist and critical care doctor at the bedside with his father and I, honoring his quiet transition rather than descending into frantic drug pushing, chest cracking chaos.

I am in favor of DNR in terminally ill patients if that is the patient's wish. Not everyone is able to accept one day they are going to die unfortunately.

In my opinion, DNR can frequently back-fire on the patient. Many doctors and nurses interpret the DNR to mean "do not treat". So we receive a cachetic, bedsore ridden shell of a person from the nursing home; frequently they have been displaying sypmtoms of pneumonia or sepsis for several days. Treatment is often minimized or worse, withdrawn because they are 94 years old and "it's their time".
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In my opinion, DNR can frequently back-fire on the patient. Many doctors and nurses interpret the DNR to mean "do not treat". So we receive a cachetic, bedsore ridden shell of a person from the nursing home; frequently they have been displaying sypmtoms of pneumonia or sepsis for several days. Treatment is often minimized or worse, withdrawn because they are 94 years old and "it's their time".
I would never advocate NOT treating someone however, treatment should be appropriate with the patient's wishes. Everyone has seen (at least once) a family over rule a mother's/dad's wishes. It is the most selfish kind of love when the son or daughter says to the doctor "I know my mother never wanted to be intubated but she's unconscious now and I want every thing done for her." Maintaining a balance between family members should never fall to the health care workers BUT frequently it does.
Knowing how much to do and when to call it ENOUGH and make the patient comfortable with the proverbial "family filled room" comes with experience. Frequently nurses are not willing to speak up and educate the family; it's a very hard thing to do. This sort of experience happens more and more frequently today simply because medicine has developed so many treatments that work to prolong life. It's a two-sided blade.
Just my humble opinion.