As a RN, which would you choose?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. As a clinical professional, which would you choose?

    • 30
      C.P.R
    • 24
      D.N.R
    • 13
      Others 9 (e.g. CPR but no intubation)

67 members have participated

Quite recently a friend (non clinical) asked me whether hypothetically if there was a medically critical situation would i choose a life saving intervention or otherwise? Instead i showed her my necklace which i always wear which states "Do Not Resuscitate in an emergency". She was shocked.

Now this decision was not done lightly. I have witnessed and performed many CPR's in my time. Personally i do think that CPR is an invasive, burdensome and punishing procedure. However, i would not deny anyone seeking this intervention.

Would you choose CPR or DNR? Kindly share your opinions.

Specializes in ED.

I choose CPR, not because I particularly want to have it done on me, but because my children arn't grown yet and I want to offer them every chance at having a mother if there is a chance. I think when they are grown and on their own, I may choose like the OP chose.

Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I say that I have survived CPR once, I think my luck will run out on the next time.

Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
Yeah... "DNR" should also stand for "Dead N Ready"!

My DNR cites specific circumstances and my loved ones have been quizzed on and are aware of my wishes.

There really are no insurance polices, but I find comfort in proclaiming my desires.

Besides, as a kid, I learned from watching old Elvis movies that chicks really dig guys who are DNRs!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]27557[/ATTACH]

Faster access to the insurance policy.

Specializes in IMC, school nursing.
Yes, if I am choking on a chicken bone....DNR....You must be kidding me. I think as nurses we have an active imagination and an image of self importance. We are nurses, therefore, we must know everything.... Doctors do not have these completely unfounded conversations. Some nurses on here need to stop being so dramatic and act like professionals when we have conversations. Of course we would not want to be artificially kept "alive" on a vent with tube feedings....but this goes without saying. There are some nurses whom need to just stop....stop with the "all knowing" DNR conversations.... no one wants this to happen to them. And until you have "prepared" patients for procurement you will never truly know the sacrifices made by other humans.

This.So.Much.This

I hate hearing the conversations at the desk about this or that patient not choosing DNR status. How dare you belittle a person's life like that. How pompous. This cavalier DNR statement made by even young nurses falls right in line with the "all nurses go to heaven" mindset. Stop judging.

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
Yes, if I am choking on a chicken bone....DNR....

Does DNR mean no Heimlich maneuver? I can't imagine dying by choking is particularly pleasant, and that would seem to go against the spirit of being DNR.

Specializes in ICU, CCU, NICU and L&D.
Yes, if I am choking on a chicken bone....DNR....You must be kidding me. I think as nurses we have an active imagination and an image of self importance. We are nurses, therefore, we must know everything.... Doctors do not have these completely unfounded conversations. Some nurses on here need to stop being so dramatic and act like professionals when we have conversations. Of course we would not want to be artificially kept "alive" on a vent with tube feedings....but this goes without saying. There are some nurses whom need to just stop....stop with the "all knowing" DNR conversations.... no one wants this to happen to them. And until you have "prepared" patients for procurement you will never truly know the sacrifices made by other humans.

Let me be clear on this. I do not profess to be all knowing nor being dramatic. Frankly i'm not seeking anyone's validation here. Just FYI, the doctors that i work with are legally certified DNR like me.

I definitely want to be full code until my outcome would be pretty devastating. I definitely don't want to be trach/vent dependent when I am 90. I can't even really answer your question.

I realize that you were "simply asking for opinions", but when you come out with a pretty extreme and bizarre opinion due to the extraordinarily over-simplistic nature of it, people are bound to scratch their heads. You really honestly wouldn't want narcan if a nurse accidentally overdosed you with IV morphine after a simple surgery, say to repair a broken wrist? After the dose of narcan, you are literally fine and can go about your life as per usual, and you don't want it? That's just really, really strange. I find it interesting when people that are just "looking for opinions" use their own as an example that they already know will sort of ruffle feathers.

I agree with the others, I would see your necklace and would continue on with life saving measures. How do I know, since you are unresponsive, that you are even aware of what that necklace means? Say you found it and put it on? Say someone put it on you? I absolutely would not make that judgement call in the moment on someone who is otherwise young and healthy. If I found the necklace on a 90 year old with significant disability, my thought process is a bit different.

Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.
It is legal for me, as i do have the relevant documents. Not only its on my necklace, i do have a small card in my wallet that states that I don't want to be resuscitated in any event which is certified by state.

The problem is, if someone goes down I'm not taking the time to go through her purse or his wallet to look for a card, I'm going to do CPR.

To give another point of view, my team and I regularly run codes on premature babies in the delivery room. Compressions, epi, intubation, the works. The majority of these codes, I would say, end in a child who has a very normal quality of life. Once they are tubed they are fine, and we extubate at a later point time when their lungs have further developed. They usually have no broken bones or any injury from the code. I just have a hard time believing someone would think that every code no matter what was too invasive. To put it in perspective, such an overwhelming majority of people believe that a code in this situation is not punishing and is fully warranted, that if a parent asked for us not to code their child (say on a regular 26 weeker where outcomes are usually very good), we would actually override their decision, perform the code, and the state would agree and support us in a court of law on this course of action. And that is why your point of view rubs people the wrong way, because there are quite a few situations where any reasonable person would agree that life saving measures were completely appropriate.

Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.
Let me be clear on this. I do not profess to be all knowing nor being dramatic. Frankly i'm not seeking anyone's validation here. Just FYI, the doctors that i work with are legally certified DNR like me.

Legally certified DNR? That makes no sense! Are you in the USA? If so I have never heard someone being allowed to become a DNR without some terminal or progressive illness, unless they are fairly elderly otherwise.

Not saying I agree with it, but that is just how it is here. No one wants to allow anyone to die. I believe that if someone has an illness they don't want to live with, despite the available therapies, and they are an adult over 25 then they should be allowed to be a DNR and/or given drugs for euthanasia. I do feel like adults should have the right to die when they want to and not when others feel its ok.

Annie

Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

I am a relatively healthy (no routine medications) 55-year old male with a stated (to family, friends, co-workers, my employer) desire to be DNR/DNI comfort measures only, abx for comfort and no artificial hydration or nutrition.

When I worked on a cardiac telemetry floor, I was able to witness the reality which is backed by evidenced-based research on the apparent futility of CPR as well as the research for CPR outside the hospital environment.

Specializes in ER.

It's all a matter of probabilities. If I arrest it will be a total surprise, I have no medical issues. Presumably what comes on quickly can be fixed just as quickly, or not at all.

I have a DNR documented at my hospital, but I know it takes about ten minutes to access the information and get it to the team. If I haven't come around in the ten minutes, it's likely not an easy fix, and I want them to quit at that point. I'm aware that what I guess might happen could be totally different from what actually happens, but in the moment I wont be able to put my two cents in. My sister is also aware that I'm DNR, and I'm solid on that. If I'm sick enough that they are asking about DNR status, yes, please, make me DNR! I don't want her to have to soul search or question herself on my account, so I've made the decision well in advance.

+ Add a Comment