BMJ 1994;309:408 (6 August)

Letters

Resuscitation and patients' views Questioning may be misunderstood by patients

EDITOR, - The editorial and papers on decisions regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation show the importance of involving patients and establishing written policies.*RF 1-3* We agree with these authors' conclusions but would sound a cautionary note.

Some months ago we instituted a policy whereby mentally competent patients admitted to the unit were routinely asked whether they would want cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Our experience was similar to that described by Morgan and colleagues,3 with most patients welcoming being involved and wishing to express an opinion. However, on one occasion a relative took exception to the practice and contacted her MP and the local press and television. We were then both accused of running a covert euthanasia policy and attempting to withdraw treatment from elderly patients in order to save money. In the furore that followed we saw how the issue of withholding cardiopulmonary resuscitation is easily confused by the lay public with euthanasia.

While . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Decisions about cardiopulmonary resuscitation
D Florin
BMJ 1994 308: 1653-1654. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Das, A. K, Mulley, G. P (2005). The value of an ethics history?. JRSM 98: 262-266 [Full text]  
  • Sivakumar, R, Knight, J, Devlin, C, Keir, P, Ghosh, P, Khan, S (2004). Communicating information on cardiopulmonary resuscitation to hospitalised patients. J. Med. Ethics 30: 311-312 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Sayers, G. M, Barratt, D., Gothard, C., Onnie, C., Perera, S., Schulman, D. (2001). The value of taking an 'ethics history'. J. Med. Ethics 27: 114-117 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • , , , , , , , , , , , , , E., , , , R., , G., , , , , , , , , , M, , , , R. (2001). Do not resuscitate. BMJ 322: 102-102 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Ethics of do not attempt resuscitation
Joanne Davies
bmj.com, 13 May 2003 [Full text]
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