How Does Your LTC Facility Identify DNR Patients?

Sun0408, ASN, RN · Mar 13, 2013

I am not in a LTC facility but we use stickers on the front of the chart. Code status is passed on in report. My last facility had purple DNR bracelets. I have seen some that actually state DNR on the bracelets..

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Mar 13, 2013

Red dots on the charts. But we have electronic MARs so the code status is available with a few clicks.

I had to do CPR on someone during a state survey. The surveyor didn't like that I ran to the chart rack to check the code status. At that facility, DNR was designated with a hand drawn red heart on the name band but it was a short term resident who refused a name band. The surveyor tried to give me a hard time, but I insisted I wasn't going to start CPR if the person were a DNR....they were a full code, we started CPR and saved them. She couldn't really cite me for that.

agingnurse · Mar 14, 2013

Thanks for your responses. Our facility's have a Condition Alert page in the front of the charts where we put all the stickers, DNR, allergies, etc. however, we don't mark the pt door/ name plate etc. they never stayed up to date with pts moving in and out. As a nurse I'd never strictly go on a doors stickers. But, these surveyors are citing a problem with having to go find the chart. So I just wondered if there was any other good ideas out there. Two of our facility's use an emar which is perfect, the info is tied automatically to the DNR order and is handy everywhere.

loriangel14, RN · Mar 14, 2013

Our charts have a big black dot beside the name on the spine of the chart to denote DNR status.It is also noted on the Kardex so when you are making up your patient list you can note it there. I do it with a big black dot.

HippyDippyLPN · Mar 14, 2013

Oh we don't have anything to identify except for a sticker on their chart on the other side of the building, real helpful in a emergent situation..scary as hell I know. I work PRN and found every order for every patient what their code status is. I just write room numbers with their status next to it and up date as needed then leave it in the nursing cart when I leave. I wasn't messing around with that one.

wyogypsy, RN · Mar 14, 2013

Well, full codes are to have a red heart on their chart - hmmmm, that isn't always there, isn't always removed if status changes to DNR.

There is supposed to be the code status form signed when they are admitted - but again, that doesn't always happen.

No bracelet, nothing on the resident roster that we use for our notes when we take report, pretty much nothing standard. It is the same at two facilities, and the chart room is not convenient to many of the resident rooms, so could take a few minutes to get to the chart and back. Oh......that is if the chart is there and not in one of the offices. We do have a couple of staff that are very good about putting the sign-out sheet in the space where they took the chart from, but most staff just take it and then who knows where it is in the building, including overnight stays in locked offices.

vicki518 · Feb 26, 2014

red dot on the name tag on their door

LTCNS, LPN · Feb 27, 2014

A big red DNR sticker on the inside of the front cover of the chart, on the MAR, on the care plan and on the orders.

Nicole Anderson · Feb 28, 2014

DNRs have red name bracelets, full codes have blue. Name tags on doors are color coded the same way. Name labels on the outside of charts are also color coded the same, plus a red dot on the chart for DNR. DNR next to name on our report sheets. DNR sheet in the front of chart. Also, listed in the computer on almost every page.

chillin4me · Mar 1, 2014

we still have to look for the chart and check the POLST for the code status..