I work on a very busy Tele floor and can have up to 5-6 patients a night. What kills me...is when I have a patient that is DNR. Seriously? Like what is the point? So far, the DNR's are usually on their last leg, disease processed has moved to the final stages, yet you come to the ER with SOB, and admitted to my busy floor, and I have to now treat you as if I would treat one of my patients whose a full code - but, if you suddenly become pulseless, I cannot do anything anyway...grrrrrrrrr. How time consuming - why? I had a patient admitted from HOSPICE onto my floor for SOB - seriously?
Please help me understand you all. I am a new graduate nurse - 3 months - and when I get a DNR patient, I instantly get turned off. Sometimes these are the most time consuming patients with overbearing family members and in my mind I am like, the hospital is for saving lives if something lethal happens, I am not doing anything anyway. sigh.
Thank you all for your responses. I needed to read it and you all are right. Sorry, I guess I am just stressed out and so happy to hear the different perspectives. Thank you again for your thoughts. This helped me approach this line of care very differently!!!! Thanks
Thank you for your humble and teachable attitude! And I apologize for the shortness of my post; some of our colleagues said it better than I did. I've also said things in stressful situations that I look back on and say to myself, "Self, that wasn't appropriate."
Maybe it will help you to remember that even if they are terminally ill (as opposed to one who's fairly healthy but for their reasons don't want CPR), that you are in a position to help ease their suffering.
When I get a DNR patient, for the most part, I am relieved to know that if they should arrest, I will not have to torture them with CPR. Possibly more than one time. It is beautiful to be able to ease their shortness of breath and make them comfortable, and know that you won't have to turn around and possibly break their their ribs and defile their body should they stop breathing.
Perhaps when you have more experience you will see that too. Or not. Just my opinion.
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
Merged threads. Our seasoned nurses have been able to give our OP novice RN helpful advice about caring for clients with DNR status and has acknowledged change of opinion from first post. Nursing is all about learning from the lived experiences of our patients, taking that knowledge to help the next patient in our care...along with learning from our seasoned veterans.
if you really dont know the point in treating someone who has a DNR, i dont know how else to say you shouldn't be allowed to treat patients at all.
has anyone notice a trend lately of some really appalling views being posted on these forums? Is it troll season? I understand people have different opinions but some of the things i've been reading lately sounds borderline criminal. now we're teetering on the territory of withholding treatment for people that have DNRs? jeez..
Specializes in Cath/EP lab, CCU, Cardiac stepdown.
Let me ask you this: why did you become a nurse? I'm not talking about nursing be a calling or anything. Heck money is a good motivator, but when you become a nurse you treat your patients, you care for your patients. I'm not saying the "put your patient before yourself" kind of martyrdom, but this is simply the job. Your job as a nurse is to take care of patients and you do not get to choose who is your patient.
I'm not saying you must have the heart of a saint or anything at all but taking care of your patients is your job responsibility. If you don't want to take care of a dnr patient then why are you even a nurse? It's like I don't like saying you don't like to cook but hey like me be a chef anyways. What did you think you were going to do?
As nurses we do not have the right to refuse services to any of patients no matter their code status, sexual orientation, gender, race, or even because we don't like them. We just take care of them, it's not about being noble or saint like, it's just simply what the job entitles.
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
I work on a very busy Tele floor and can have up to 5-6 patients a night. What kills me...is when I have a patient that is DNR. Seriously? Like what is the point? So far, the DNR's are usually on their last leg, disease processed has moved to the final stages, yet you come to the ER with SOB, and admitted to my busy floor, and I have to now treat you as if I would treat one of my patients whose a full code - but, if you suddenly become pulseless, I cannot do anything anyway...grrrrrrrrr. How time consuming - why? I had a patient admitted from HOSPICE onto my floor for SOB - seriously?
Please help me understand you all. I am a new graduate nurse - 3 months - and when I get a DNR patient, I instantly get turned off. Sometimes these are the most time consuming patients with overbearing family members and in my mind I am like, the hospital is for saving lives if something lethal happens, I am not doing anything anyway. sigh.
DNR, do not resuscitate. Does not mean do not treat.
Apart of helping a palliative/end stage patient have a good passing is treating their symptoms as they arise, pain, breathlessness, anxiety etc
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Thanks for all of the comments!
I won't apologize for anything I say and okay. I'm a 23 year old male with an associates degree and I will have my BSN in December of this year. You call me ignorant really? I've been called worse.. I've been called ****** and much more at the clinical site so the term ignorant doesn't hurt me. It's sad how you can't express your opinion without being hounded so yes I said it and I'll say it again. I would not want any of these nurses on this thread to care for me. I may just delete this AN profile. I guarantee when I become a nurse I will give my opinion on the matter and not bash people for what they believe. The good book says..."what you do unto the least of mine..you do unto me." Now you remember that ruby vee.
be blessed everyone
Here's the thing: YOU are the ONLY person YOU can apologize for. You cannot apologize for anyone else, and attempting to do so is both high-handed and ignorant. It was rude, too.
Most of the replies to the OP weren't rude. But here you are, bashing other posters for what they post. I wonder what "the good book" has to say about that. If you want to delete your profile (take your toys and go home) that's up to you. It makes no difference to me. But it's an immature response.
I should have never made the post. I never mentioned anything about not providing care. I am a good nurse with a lot to learn but I wouldnt do my job! I was simply asking for others to help me understand the tx process with DNR. Next time...ill pick up a book...lol... thanks Newboy!
Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN
5,047 Posts
Thank you for your humble and teachable attitude! And I apologize for the shortness of my post; some of our colleagues said it better than I did. I've also said things in stressful situations that I look back on and say to myself, "Self, that wasn't appropriate."
Maybe it will help you to remember that even if they are terminally ill (as opposed to one who's fairly healthy but for their reasons don't want CPR), that you are in a position to help ease their suffering.