DNR tattoos...

i just imagine many pts changing their minds when they suddenly really cant breathe and have chest pain or whatever and dont really want to die right there.....that way .'today'...they will think it shouldve been different....they imagined they would be unconscious and not know interventions were held (i.e. they will not go quietly into the night they realize) ....but being conscious in the beginning can probably change things.....sometimes....

As much as some of us have joked about getting that same tattoo....

Anyway, why not just take the money you're going to spend on the tat and go to a lawyer and have papers drawn up? Better use of the money, legal, and alot less painful, imo.

Having a DNR tatooed on your chest probably looks pretty cool, but it is about as useful as dudes who have "Organ Donor" listed on their driver's license. Unless the family gives final consent with sigs, Old man rivers' cant donate his favorite kidney or have the junior resident pop off the blower and let him meet Jesus if he is clinically brain dead.

I had a patient once in his 20's, who wrote DNR on his chest in black marker and then proceeded to OD on a bottle full of antihypertensives. He called to say goodbye to a family member who called EMS.
Luckily he arrived at the hospital prior to cardiac arrest, so it never became a code situation but he bought himself a ventilator and all the finest treatment that toxicology medicine has to offer.
Had he coded, he would have been treated as a full code, reguardless of the obvious wishes written out clearly on his chest. (We never made our suicide attempts a DNR).

I think that's creepy, myself. I'd be very very upset if my husband did that, especially without discussing it with me, first.

I run into this situation so often in Case Management. Since when do families get to decide if mom doesn't want to be resuscitated? Unfortunatly, too often, or at least when they can all agree. I carry Advanced Directive forms with me in my bag, and I discuss the issue with every patient I have. Most patients tell me they are afraid to discuss the issue with their children because the kids will not agree to what they want. It's not a matter of agreeing, it's a matter of finding a MPA designee who will have the backbone to carry out your wishes. Granted, many hospitals are reluctant to go up against family members if mom is unable to make a decision, but a well documented and executed Advanced Directive (on file with PCP) is becoming more accepted by hospitals as a legally binding document for them.

I do not think they would comply with the tattoo without the legal DNR paperwork to back it up.

I suppose it *might* be helpful if, in smaller letters under DNR, his tattoo said:

"See legal paperwork, left upper drawer of desk in office on main floor of house on 1403 S. 18th St, XXXXX, NY. Note paperwork already on file at XXXX Hospital."

I can understand the sentiment, completely. I've often thought of that myself (tounge in cheek, mostly). I personally would NEVER honor a DNR tattoo, but if I assessed a pt and saw that on him, you can bet your sweet bum I would be triple checking all charts and with family members to look for his DNR paperwork, and if I couldn't find it I'd be getting with the social worker for a consult (ASAP if he was circling the drain).

I wouldn't honour a DNR tattoo...but I would sure ask for the patient's forgiveness before I started to work.

this doesn't apply to patients but each person should decide while in good health what they want done to prolong life, organ harvesting
communicate your wishes to all of family, designate a person who will make hard decisions when you are not able , let them know of any health issues which would make organ harvesting undesirable