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Good luck... In the US emergency personal are required to administer emergency medical assistance until the patient is stabilized - otherwise they may be liable and their insurance company will not cover them if they fail to try. As we all know in the US, the insurance companies run the medical field.
Yes, I know that. I once had a car crash and they kept doing their business even though I kept saying I didn't want to be treated. But I was very injured and ended up unconscious. That's why I need something that clearly states my wishes.
You need to have a DPA that is witnessed and signed by two other people. Keep a copy on you at all times in your purse or wallet and give each of your doctors a copy as well.
Then wear an ID alert tag that states, "See DPA." I also have a tag on my keychain that says that I have a DPA.
I should see an attorney then, I suppose. I don't have a doctor, is that a problem in this case?
Your best bet is the bracelet and having the papers on your person. Maybe adding a DNR tattoo on the center of your chest is as close to 100% effective as you can get.
I'm thinking if you are found you unconscious and someone ripped your shirt open to start CPR that would make them look for the bracelet. Other than that a person hyped up with adrenaline trying to save someone they think needs saving might miss the bracelet.
Also, if you are in the hospital ask for and keep on your DNR bracelet on so the staff doesn't have to find your chart to know that you are DNR. CPR sometimes get started and then stopped because someone grabbed the chart after 5 minutes of CPR to say "wait they're DNR..stop!"
Hospital records are kept in the medical records department. Some of your information may be in the computer system if you were in that hospital recently but it may or may not be accessible at that moment. Once you are discharged the paper chart leaves the unit. If EMS takes you to a hospital that you have never been to they will not have any access to your records. The hospital cannot obtain the records without a consent from you and in a code situation there is no time for that.
Yes, I know that. I once had a car crash and they kept doing their business even though I kept saying I didn't want to be treated. But I was very injured and ended up unconscious. That's why I need something that clearly states my wishes.
As others have pointed out, you should file a Living Will with your local hospital. If you are in that bad a shape, the hospital will be more then willing to remove you from life support. But first responders are required to give you give you emergency medical attention. No one is going to let you die lying on the street. It's just not going to happen.
This is all really good advice but useless unless your next of kin or poa are on the same page. I can't tell you how many DNR orders I've see rescinded by selfish family members who have had their family members placed on life support knowing it was against their loved ones wishes. Make sure you have someone you totally trust to respect your wishes as your power of attorney lest you find yourself in the same situation. My husband knows my wishes but in an emotional situation like that I find it hard to trust that he will respect my wishes. It's totally in his hands so who really knows what will happen. Just don't let me wake up at the place I work with all of my coworkers that have already seen me naked.
This is all really good advice but useless unless your next of kin or poa are on the same page. I can't tell you how many DNR orders I've see rescinded by selfish family members who have had their family members placed on life support knowing it was against their loved ones wishes. Make sure you have someone you totally trust to respect your wishes as your power of attorney lest you find yourself in the same situation. My husband knows my wishes but in an emotional situation like that I find it hard to trust that he will respect my wishes. It's totally in his hands so who really knows what will happen. Just don't let me wake up at the place I work with all of my coworkers that have already seen me naked.
Are you the one who decides who your next of kind is? My closest family is my father and my brother. I would choose my brother for obvious reasons (my father is in his 80s) but we get along very well. I'm not so sure he would follow my wishes in that situation. But he should because he would be my heir.
Yes, I know that. I once had a car crash and they kept doing their business even though I kept saying I didn't want to be treated. But I was very injured and ended up unconscious. That's why I need something that clearly states my wishes.
The only thing that you can ask the medical professionals to honor, is a request to not be recussitated, or a request to not attempt to take extraordinary measures to save you if you are at the verge of life or death.
But no, there really isn't any kind of legal document that you can create, that a medical professional would be obligated to obey, to prevent them from treating an injury if you were brought into their care, injured. You could probably get a religious exemption for things like transplants and infusions. But if you were rolled into the emergency room with your femur sticking out of your leg, they won't just stand there and wait for you to become conscious again and hobble your way back out of the hospital.
And if an ambulance is called and comes to your aid, they won't just leave you on the street, if you're unconscious. Not only would it be irresponsible of them, it would also create a traffic hazard, because the police would have to divert traffic around you while everyone waited for you to bleed to death, since you refuse to allow anyone to treat you.
No, there is nothing you can do to prevent medical professionals from treating you. You can expect them to not try to keep you alive with machines and tubes, and you can expect them to not try to recussitate you if your heart stops. And the blood transfusion and transplant thing. Other than that, not really.
Summary: You can ask that they not -save- you, but you can't expect them to not -treat- you. Different things. One yes, the other no.
I totally understand what the OP is asking. It has nothing to do with DNR requests. It has everything to do with NOT WANTING TO BE TREATED.
The best thing you can do is to make sure that someone you trust has a power of attorney for your medical care and tell them that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES do you want medical treatment. Then if you are unconscious, aside from "life saving measures" they will not treat you without consent from someone. You know those awful little consent forms they stick in your face every time they want to do something which, presumably absolves them of any liability for their "treatment".
In most cases, if you have a POA for medical care in place, your representative can demand that they stop treatment as soon as they find out what is going on and can get there. Sadly, until they do arrive, you are at the mercy of the doctors, which is a pretty frightening thought, I have to admit.
I totally understand what the OP is asking. It has nothing to do with DNR requests. It has everything to do with NOT WANTING TO BE TREATED.
The best thing you can do is to make sure that someone you trust has a power of attorney for your medical care and tell them that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES do you want medical treatment. Then if you are unconscious, aside from "life saving measures" they will not treat you without consent from someone. You know those awful little consent forms they stick in your face every time they want to do something which, presumably absolves them of any liability for their "treatment".
In most cases, if you have a POA for medical care in place, your representative can demand that they stop treatment as soon as they find out what is going on and can get there. Sadly, until they do arrive, you are at the mercy of the doctors, which is a pretty frightening thought, I have to admit.
20yrsinBranson
Yeah, it's pretty scary thinking that while I"m unconscious, someone might actually be setting my broken leg so that once I heal, I'll still be able to walk. Or if I have a bloody nose, they might actually attempt to stop up the blood so that I don't bleed to death. Or if there's a piece of car bumper sticking into my hip, they get it out of my hip and give me a tetanus shot so I can wake up again and not spend the rest of my shortened life in agony.
Scary thought, the notion that doctors might possibly be able to treat injuries that might kill you if left untreated.
Next time you have a broken arm, don't go to the doctor. Don't get it treated at all. Get back to us on how that goes for ya.
Or hey - how about an abcessed tooth with dry socket, that's always fun. No treatment at all, don't forget. You don't want any treatment.
Then again, there's something to be said for nature culling her own herd...
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As we all know in the US, the insurance companies run the medical field.
