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I'm writing a paper on this topic, one which I've chosen and feel relatively strongly about from my work with hospice. I'd like to get some outside perspectives on it.
So, in FL they have this process where you can just print the form and sign it and get your doctor to sign it. You initial by the different contingencies you want to include (and blacken the others out). The problem with this document is that EMS can apparently choose to follow it based on whether it's printed on a white piece of paper or a yellow/gold piece of paper. For legal purposes, EMS only recognizes the DNR if it is printed on yellow paper. So then the patient gets to the ER and the doc has to decide whether he deems himself part of emergency services and thereby not having to follow a white sheet of paper or one who can determine and follow the patient's wishes as set down in their DNR.
Further complicating this is that EVERY hospital has it's own DNR form.
Is it like this in other states?
Would a federally made DNR form (with all the options: tube vs non tube fed, antibiotics vs none, etc) be a good solution?
Would that even be possible?
One issue is the authority of the feds to put out this form and get national recognition ... politically I could see the argument for this both ways but practically speaking with the shear #'s of medicare, medicaide and other federally funded health care programs, I'm not really going to tackle that issue too heavily.
Feel free to post links to resources about national DNRs.
Thanks SDN.
So, in FL they have this process where you can just print the form and sign it and get your doctor to sign it. You initial by the different contingencies you want to include (and blacken the others out). The problem with this document is that EMS can apparently choose to follow it based on whether it's printed on a white piece of paper or a yellow/gold piece of paper. For legal purposes, EMS only recognizes the DNR if it is printed on yellow paper. So then the patient gets to the ER and the doc has to decide whether he deems himself part of emergency services and thereby not having to follow a white sheet of paper or one who can determine and follow the patient's wishes as set down in their DNR.
Further complicating this is that EVERY hospital has it's own DNR form.
Is it like this in other states?
Would a federally made DNR form (with all the options: tube vs non tube fed, antibiotics vs none, etc) be a good solution?
Would that even be possible?
One issue is the authority of the feds to put out this form and get national recognition ... politically I could see the argument for this both ways but practically speaking with the shear #'s of medicare, medicaide and other federally funded health care programs, I'm not really going to tackle that issue too heavily.
Feel free to post links to resources about national DNRs.
Thanks SDN.
