DNR communication

[MJJFan1, BSN, RN]

Hello all. I am seeking ideas. Currently our facility use wristbands that display warning indicators such as fall risk, allergy, restricted extremity, and DNR. Well we’ve found that when status’ change, our staff are not updating the wristband software to reflect the change. My question is: aside from an obvious DNR order on the chart, how do you communicate DNR status to others. Ie if there were a code in the hallway or in radiology etc, how would your code team know the patient is or isn’t a DNR? Do you all move forward with CPR until you find out other wise or is there some other mechanism? Thank you in advance.

[Sour Lemon]

2 hours ago, MJJFan1 said:

Do you all move forward with CPR until you find out other wise or is there some other mechanism?

Yes.

And as part of report, code status is communicated. I actually look up the pysical form at change of shift when a patient is reported to be anything other than a full code.

Ideally, a quick report is given to anyone taking the patient to another department. And if I send a patient to radiology and hear a code called in radiology, I'm going to head there to assist if at all possible.

[cardiacfreak, ADN]

When I worked acute care we used the armband for DNR. During transfer from one unit to the next a facesheet was printed by the secretary and then the orderly and transferring nurse each signed it. The facesheet had the code status on it. The accepting nurse would also sign the paper when patient arrived to their unit.

I know it seems time consuming but there was a bad situation where the orderly transferred a patient and did not place the oxygen on the patient and the patient had a rapid response called. Thus, the nurse had to go to the patients room with the orderly and verify safe transfer.