Replies

I can assure you that a DNR does not mean do not treat...Having worked as a nurse for 10 years in hospital the patients I have treated get treatment but if the person goes into cardiac arrest extra ordinary treatment is not given usually family is aware and usually has a family member present most of the time. My father signed a *no code* he was given all that was necessary He did leave the hospital AMA after talking with anesthesiologist the night before his scheduled operation. He was required to sign a document stating he was leaving against "against medical advice

Is it possible that for some hospitals they have such a policy but never heard of one. The liability if a hospital didn't give basic care and treatments ordered by the doctor and all things that are not extraordinary would be high. Cha Ching is not something hospitals want to hear in a court. Its the doctor that determines what treatment the patient gets and he does it in writing as part of the patients chart...

If the patient spikes a fever and you think they won't be given aspirin you are way off. If the patient has a bed sore, the doctor orders the treatment and treatment is given....depends entirely on what the doctor puts in writting and they aren't going to hang themselves by being stupid.....(Have know a few doctors that were stupid) but some stupid order is usually not followed, it is reported and verified with a call to the doctor....I had a doctor write an order for a specific medication and I was medicine nurse that day. A call to pharmacy with the med. ordered and pharmacy called the doctor and got the order reversed...

Some times an order is given by mistake. The doctor is usually grateful it was caught by nursing staff or pharmacist...