Reply
Wed 4 Jul, 2012 10:59 pm
Context:
To see how patients play a role, imagine a scenario in which someone has lost consciousness and been admitted to hospital. As is so often the case, no one has made a plan for this situation, and shocked and scared family members find themselves caught up in a maze of choices. They're overwhelmed. When doctors ask if they want "everything" done,
they answer yes. Then the nightmare begins. Sometimes, a family really means "do everything," but often they just mean "do everything that's reasonable". For their part, doctors told to do "everything" will do it, whether it is reasonable or not.
More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/08/how-doctors-choose-die
@oristarA,
No, the families are telling the doctors what they want verbally.
They aren't responding subconsciously, they're responding thoughtlessly, without considering the implictions of the directions, "do everything."
In British hospitals, if the patient is very poorly, old, infirm etc, the doctors may put a note of "DNR" with the patient.
That means, if they have a relapse, further heart attack etc, the staff are directed "Do Not Resuscitate".
Life for a patient in a modern hospital may be prolonged almost indefinitely, even in coma, but quality of life may then become the limiting factor...and in America, the cost.
@McTag,
McTag wrote:
In British hospitals, if the patient is very poorly, old, infirm etc, the doctors may put a note of "DNR" with the patient.
That means, if they have a relapse, further heart attack etc, the staff are directed "Do Not Resuscitate".
Life for a patient in a modern hospital may be prolonged almost indefinitely, even in coma, but quality of life may then become the limiting factor...and in America, the cost.
Thank you McTag.
It seems extremly worrisome to me. Did the patient agree to wear the medallion of DNR? The instinct to survive is strong almost for everyone unless he/she chooses to wear themselves.
@oristarA,
Patients do not wear a medallion. They sign a legal DNR paper/s and it's kept in their file. Patients in Canada must sign the paper while in sound mind, the family and hospital staff must abide by the agreement. A decision like this is often made when the patient is on their death bed and all hope for a recovery is unlikely. These patients are often suffering from pain that cannot be assuaged by pain medication.
@oristarA,
Quote:The instinct to survive is strong almost for everyone unless he/she chooses to wear themselves.
You probably meant to add an 'it' between 'wear' and 'themselves', Ori, referring to 'medallion'. It's not possible to leave it out here.
The instinct to survive is strong almost for everyone unless he/she chooses to wear
it themselves.
You can, however, leave out 'he/she' and put in 'they'. It's a lot less clunky and it's much much more natural.
See Post: # 5,035,891
http://able2know.org/topic/192912-11#post-5035891
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