New "Ask NE GAPNA Members" Question
Posted over 10 years ago by Elizabeth Esstman
Connecticut is the remaining New England state to prohibit APRNs from writing Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders. We are working to change this, but we need your help. Please share any experiences where the inability to write a DNR order adversely affected your practice or patient care/outcome. Thank you for your help in promoting the care of gerontological patients.
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Our 11 member NP team works in 6 SNF/LTC sites on the North Shore of Boston. End of life discussions with our patients and/or health care proxy is part of our standard work. If we were unable to write or give DNR orders for patients who wished this, the number of patients at our sites who have a "full code" status would be significantly higher. The patient's code status is part of the consideration when deciding whether to treat patients in place, or refer them to the ER for events such as pneumonia, heart failure or change in mental status. Not addressing a patient's end of life decisions can easily result in a higher number of hospitalizations, with the associated adverse problems related to transitions in care.
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