Doctors question

[stevie-p]

Recently,my son was very poorly in hospital,and after being put on a ward the "house" doctor asked him this question... If your heart should stop,do you want us to revive you.....

I wondered if this is a standard question to some patients,as it does not fill someone with confidence.

[ummmm312]

How old is your son?

[daffy654]

I have never been asked that question when admitted to hospital.Maybe it is particular to certain hospitals.

[Brinjal]

seems rather extreme to ask that question of someone just randomly who isnt terminally ill.

[stevie-p]

He was 28,with pnumonia,but unaware he was so ill,it was at selly oak hospital.

[zzxxee]

when i worked in an elderly peoples home with those who had dementia they had a revive or no revive on their health notes

[sqad617]

stevie.....I find that hard to believe. If he had a cardiac arrest then the medical staff would be "duty bound" to attempt rescuscitation. Failure to do this would lead to a medical malpractice case.

[bigmamma]

Goodness me stevie , I find that very odd . !

[devil99]

Sqad, a patient is now asked if they want resus or not, really it dependa on the illness, in handover we are told not to call the 4 2's ( our cardiac team) if the patient or reletive has requested it.

[sqad617]

Never heard of such a thing and I woner if that would stand up in a court of Law.

Surely a relative cannot give the instruction that the arrest team should not be called in a cardiac arrest.

If stevie's son for some reason said that he did not want rescusitation in the event of an arrest and he arrested, then the arrest team would be duty bound to act.

Cannot believe that such a state exists now in the NHS, but I will take your word for it.

[jaffa cake]

i have only known people to be asked this question if terminally ill.

[marie26]

People who have a reversible illness are not asked this question in my place of work. It is, however, discussed with very ill people and their families if it is thought that they would not survive prolonged resussicitation. This discussion takes place with the Consultant, or registrar on call, and either confirmed or not by the Consultant the next day. This decision is reviewed frequently, and if the person improves, the decision is put aside.
Some people will not survive a sudden cardiac event, for example, those with an underlying serious illness who are admitted to hospital very ill for any other reason. This means that every effort is made to treat and reverse all or any reversible cause of the current illness. Frequent observations, the use of a scoring tool that indicates a developing problem, and timely interventions to treat those problems will generally help with recovery.
I have not known of this discussion taking place with an otherwise healthy person.

[sqad617]

Marie...that sounds very sensible, plausible and quite acceptable, but in this case a man of 28 with pneumonia?

[Lil O'lady]

Following from Squad's last point - as resus is physically traumatic for the patient, it is often the case that this is raised with the relatives of very frail people and the decision is left to them if the patient is unable to participate in the discussion.
However this is not always the case - Lady Campbell who campaigns energetically in the House of Lords on disabilty rights recently found a DNR note on her own files while staying in hospital.
It seems very unusual for a young man to be in this position, unless perhaps he has suffered with multiple illnesses and is himself very frail.
If you cannot get a satisfactory answer to why this was done it would be worth pursuing it through the hospital complaints procedure - it is possible that the doctor concerned needs further training in dealing with people rather than illnesses.

[stevie-p]

Sadly we found that he was terminally ill,melanoma,but as a brave lad he kept it from us,pnu monia was the main cause of this death,we never knew till the end.

[sqad617]

stevie...there is your answer......sorry.

[Drisgirl]

O my goodness what a terribly tragic thread -I am so sorry for your loss stevie.

[wolf63]

"No parent should ever outlive a child". - a friend of my late mothers said that after her son died.

I am very sorry for the loss of your son at such a young age.

Susan

[tamborine]

OMG...if resuss is not the norm in hospitals maybe I would not have lost my OH?

[ummmm312]

Sorry Stevie :-(

[stevie-p]

Thanks all,i would like to close this thread now.......Steve