DNR tattoos...

Jan 26, 2008 09:26 PM

by MerdalRN

My soon to be hubby came home the other day with DNR tattooed midline center chest in 1 inch high black block letters. (I am totally serious!)

How would that be interperted in the event (god forbid!) that something really happened to him? He does not have an actual DNR order, and we have talked about wishes in the event of something terrible, but would EMS have to comply with his tattoo??

Hubby is a fireman/paramedic so he knows the consequences/outcomes of CPR and all, and I think this had lots to do with his decision to tattoo this, but I wish he had told me he was doing it

**RainDreamer** · Jan 26, 2008, 09:30 PM

Re: DNR tattoos...

A tattoo isn't a legal document.

kcochrane · Jan 26, 2008, 09:33 PM

Re: DNR tattoos...

Well, I was an EMT and would never honor a DNR tatoo. We had to have the DNR paper order in our hands before we could honor it. So don't worry.

MerdalRN · Jan 26, 2008, 09:34 PM

Re: DNR tattoos...

That was my first statement to him...

I guess I was just more wondering if you came across, lets just say.. a bad MVA and you pulled him out of his truck and saw he had it tattooed on his chest but that he needed cpr. Would you do it??

DutchgirlRN · Jan 26, 2008, 09:35 PM

Re: DNR tattoos...

We had a 74 y/o patient who had DNR tatooted on her left breast because her children would not agree to make her a DNR. In the end it didn't stand up, she was a full-code but mercifully did not survive.

**sirI** · Jan 26, 2008, 09:35 PM

Re: DNR tattoos...

Here are a couple threads about this very topic:

http://allnurses.com/forums/f8/widow...ish-32442.html

http://allnurses.com/forums/f118/dnr-tattoo-214271.html

http://allnurses.com/forums/f98/80-y...st-158788.html

DutchgirlRN · Jan 26, 2008, 09:36 PM

Re: DNR tattoos...

Originally Posted by MerdalRN

That was my first statement to him...

I guess I was just more wondering if you came across, lets just say.. a bad MVA and you pulled him out of his truck and saw he had it tattooed on his chest but that he needed cpr. Would you do it??

No because DNR could be short for something else and who would want to make a mistake like that? Not me.

Diary/Dairy · Jan 26, 2008, 09:38 PM

Re: DNR tattoos...

I have seen ICU nurses do CPR on someone - according to them, A DNR tattoo is not legal because it is not signed........

Seems a shame to do it though - I don't think you would get a DNR tattoo unless you had given it some thought beforehand and MEANT it enough to get it tattooed on yourself.

DutchgirlRN · Jan 26, 2008, 09:41 PM

Re: DNR tattoos...

Originally Posted by diarygirl512

I have seen ICU nurses do CPR on someone - according to them, A DNR tattoo is not legal because it is not signed........

Seems a shame to do it though - I don't think you would get a DNR tattoo unless you had given it some thought beforehand and MEANT it enough to get it tattooed on yourself.

Good Point Diary

**RainDreamer** · Jan 26, 2008, 09:45 PM

Re: DNR tattoos...

Originally Posted by MerdalRN

That was my first statement to him...

I guess I was just more wondering if you came across, lets just say.. a bad MVA and you pulled him out of his truck and saw he had it tattooed on his chest but that he needed cpr. Would you do it??

Of course you would. Like I said, it's not a legal document. Unless you want your butt sued, you better dang well do it.

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DNR tattoos...

DNR tattoos...

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