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DNR tattoos...



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Jan 26, 2008 10:26 PM

DNR tattoos...


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

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29 Comments
No. 1
from RainDreamer
Old Jan 26, 2008, 10:30 PM

Default Re: DNR tattoos...
A tattoo isn't a legal document.
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No. 2
from kcochrane
Old Jan 26, 2008, 10:33 PM

Default 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.
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No. 3
from MerdalRN
Old Jan 26, 2008, 10:34 PM

Default 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??
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No. 4
from DutchgirlRN
Old Jan 26, 2008, 10:35 PM

Default 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.
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No. 5
from sirI
Old Jan 26, 2008, 10:35 PM

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No. 6
from DutchgirlRN
Old Jan 26, 2008, 10:36 PM

Default Re: DNR tattoos...
Originally Posted by MerdalRN View Post
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.
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No. 7
from Diary/Dairy
Old Jan 26, 2008, 10:38 PM

Default 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.
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No. 8
from DutchgirlRN
Old Jan 26, 2008, 10:41 PM

Default Re: DNR tattoos...
Originally Posted by diarygirl512 View Post
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
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No. 9
from RainDreamer
Old Jan 26, 2008, 10:45 PM

Default Re: DNR tattoos...
Originally Posted by MerdalRN View Post
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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