Any help would be appreciated

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Hello to all the great nurses ::yeah:

I am in a LPN-BSN program. I have 300 days left

I am in a legal issues & trends class now. I have to write two 10 page papers on one legal and one ethical issue but the two have to be related.

My idea is a person is brought into the ER with suicide attempt and has AD's with DNR. What do you do? I think he is a DNR and do nothing but other nurse's and MD's I have talked to want to treat him b/c of suicide. This actually happened where I work. They treated the man but unfortunately he did not live. I appreciate all input.

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Specializes in ccu cardiovascular.

This is my two cents. The man who attempted suicide is considered by most in the medical profession not competent because of the suicide until determined by psychiatry. They basically have given up their rights for their dnr to be upheld unless they have a doctor to agree with them, or have a family member or power of attorney to make the decisions. The medical profession have no other choice but to treat the suicide victim until that can be determined. I may be wrong but that is my 2 cents.

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Specializes in behavioral health.

Great issue! My questions would be surrounding his mental state of signing the DNR. Was he an elderly gentleman (in no means saying its ok for older people to commit suicide)? Did he have a terminal medical condition? Laws don't quite differentiate depending on situation, but there is a huge difference between a 90 year old man with stage 4 bone cancer and a 30 year old man without terminal medical issues.

interesting, thank you =)

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