nurse doesn't believe in life-sustaining measures for herself

Nurses General Nursing

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I was in the strangest conversation today with a new nurse. She explained to us that she feels like any type of life-saving treatment such as the Heimlich would be interfering in Gods plan for her. If she starts choking at lunch, she feels this is "her time to go" and wants no one to prevent it! If she is in a car accident and is seriously wounded, but could have life-saving treatment, she does not want it. If she is diagnosed with any type of illness where life sustaining meds could be taken, she is against this.

Everyone who was listening to her eventually just took the conversation elsewhere because no one knew how to respond. One of our doctors was listening to her also. As he walked away he said, "nursing seems like a strange career for you". I have to agree. I was speechless...and that is rare for me!

How can this person be effective as a nurse? How can they educate their patients on their illnesses? And on and on.... I have been pondering this for hours; every aspect of it. What do you guys think?:clown:

I'm sorry you cannot understand why someone would not want extreme life saving measures.

I'm not trying to pick on you, but I really don't want you to think us heartless. This isn't a case of someone not believing in extreme life saving measures, this is someone that doesn't believe in any medical interventions at all - even tylenol. I think you would find it difficult to find anyone here that does not understand your choice.

Its one thing not to want to go through chemo - especially if there is a low chance of remission vs not wanting the hemlich (sp?). This first speaks of quality of life and wanting to spend your time in comfort. The second does not risk quality of life and will save you.

i thought we were talking about mild or moderate life-saving measures...

this nurse doesn't even want to be heimliched.

she won't take abx or any meds that could save her life.

we're not talking about anything extreme at all.

but, as we already know, her choice.

and to be respected.

it is unusual to read about these type of wishes, however.

leslie

Thank you leslie.

Specializes in PICU, CCU, Psych.

I went to nursing school with a girl who is exactly the same way (maybe it's the same person!). We had a very similar conversation once in which she told me that if she was ever diagnosed with a terminal but treatable disease, she would refuse treatment because the disease was given to her by God.

My question to her was, "If you had children, how do you think that would affect them? Do you think they would want to see you pass up life out of your own stubborn belief that you should refuse treatment?"

Reminds me of a blonde joke. (P.S. I'm blonde too!)

A blonde prayed every night for God to let her win the lottery. One night, desperate, she prayed, "Lord, every night I've asked you to let me win the lottery. I need the money so badly. Why do you keep denying me? Give me a sign that you're hearing my prayers!" Just then, a voice boomed, "BUY A TICKET."

Yes, Shelly, I did read the thread. Did you read my reply?

I do take antidepressants, two of them actually, I attend counseling. I refuse narc's for pain, as they make me nauseated and affect my thinking ability - so I get steroid cervical pain injections, about 6 a year. Mostly, you just learn to live with it.

I'm sorry you cannot understand why someone would not want extreme life saving measures. Perhaps your life hasn't been as difficult as mine, or perhaps you are just a different person - in any case, I'm doing what I have to do to maintain some sort of existence in this world. If I were diagnoses with colon Ca, I would choose no treatment. I take fiber supplements and I have had a colonoscopy, so I do what I can to prevent it, but if it were to happen, then, so be it. Same for any other type of CA, or MI.

I've seen people kept "alive" for all the wrong reasons, I've helped keep people alive who have told me privately (when family isn't there) that they've "had a good life, and just want to go now." Only to be guilted into "fighting" because their children "can't live without them".

How dare we keep a 95 y/o person alive who has told nurse after nurse that they want to go, but the family makes such a stink that the doc's "back down". I don't want to be that person.

I believe all things happen for a reason, including my son's death. I've come to believe my son died so my daughter would live - my husband believes the same. Both were on a path to destruction, and Michaels death stopped "DD" from continuing her distructive ways. Doesn't make us feel any better, but we believe there was a reason.

I will die, perhaps tomorrow, next month, ten years from now, who knows? When it is my time, God help anyone who interferes. I'm looking forward to it.

God Bless all

This particular nurse would never know she even had colon cancer because she does not believe in any type of medical care. She takes NOTHING to prevent anything. No vitamins, herbs-nothing. This is what the thread is about.

I never said anything about extreme life-saving measures. THIS is not what the thread is about.

I, too, have lost a child. A pain that never leaves me.

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
Personally, I think you're all being to harsh with regard to your comments. This woman in entitled to her opinions with regard to medical treatment for herself - so why the big issue?

Did you read the entire thread? This is not about end-of-life measures,

vents, trachs, or DNRs!

I think most of the comments were very supportive of this nurse, especially after I wrote about the opportunity to speak with her more about her beliefs.

I don't want to speak for another poster, but I suspect she was referring to the several posts that overtly derided the nurses' beliefs.

'm thinking if you won't take tylenol nor be heimliched, you also want to be dnr. . sorry, don't see how she can be a nurse, doing for others what she won't do for herself, conviction wise. sue

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
'm thinking if you won't take tylenol nor be heimliched, you also want to be dnr. . sorry, don't see how she can be a nurse, doing for others what she won't do for herself, conviction wise. sue

I do a number of things for others (my patients) that I wouldn't do for myself (or allow to be done). The particular nurse we're discussing may have a longer list of DON'Ts than you or I or someone else ... but that doesn't invalidate her views, make her a "fruitcake" or in any way call her practice of nursing into question.

Specializes in ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics.
i do a number of things for others (my patients) that i wouldn't do for myself (or allow to be done). the particular nurse we're discussing may have a longer list of don'ts than you or i or someone else ... but that doesn't invalidate her views, make her a "fruitcake" or in any way call her practice of nursing into question.

i have to agree with mlos here.

i do plenty to my patients that if anyone ever has the nerve to do to me ... i swear i'll come back and haunt you.

and it won't be a pleasant haunt -- no friendly visions to let you know i'm there. i'll make sure to do it right. you won't sleep for years.

and i apologize to my patients as i torture them -- because it isn't my decision. it is their decision, along with their family's input, and i respect that (i really do -- esp when it is the patient making the decision).

i deal with a lot of trauma/hiv/ends stage aids patients in the acute care setting, so i see this kind of thing often (in fairly young patients, where either they or their family is not yet ready to acknowledge how terminal their condition is).

if they want to be resuscitated, i will do it -- and give it my all, because that is what they want. i want to give them (and their family) that extra time they need to come to terms with their terminal illness.

so even though it may make me cringe, and break my heart for some patients that i have become attached to, i will pound on their chest and push drugs into their bloodstream and assist someone in shoving a large tube down their throat, because that is what they want. even if it isn't what i would want for myself, my family, or even for them (if it was my decision).

mlos; I see your point. I was hasty in saying she can't be a nurse. I should have said, for me, If I were her,I'd feel some turmult in for instance,taking part in cpr,or heimlich,on pts.But for cpr,It is right to do it if that is what the pt. wants, in any case.I had a 350 # vegatative state res. once who could only look at you,at times w/ tears in her eyes, when I had to do the tube feeding the sister ordered(poa)for years!btw, the sister hadn't visited in those years, would call once in a while.I felt really terrible when I did them!!!!!!!!finally,when the sister gave ok to stop them because res. became very ill, I was happy for the res!!!sue

Several of these posts were about end-stage cancer, AIDS, traumas, vents, trachs.........................

None of these extreme-measure examples are what the thread is about. The nurse I spoke of will not take an aspirin, vitamin, etc. She has not even seen a doctor in years.

So far, she is an excellent nurse. She just does not subscribe to the product herself. As a nurse, I could not personally work like this. But then I know a lot of burned-out nurses (and also read their posts on an) who hate the entire profession of nursing, yet keep at it because it pays the mortgage. They begrudge every single day they have to deal with patients. On the other hand, this particular nurse LOVES what she does, and so far the patients have given her great praise.

As a patient, I think I'd rather have a nurse assigned to me who wanted to be there. Not one who cussed coming through door, rolled their eyes at the first call light, and checked off another day on the calendar to see how much closer they are to retirement..."only 7,032 more days until I don't have to do this rotten job anymore".

This has been interesting for me in the past week. I had a very different opinion a week ago.

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