Do you really know your patient's code status? Why you should verify it

Ask Nurse Alice

In the world of healthcare, many times it's presumed that a patient's code status is full code especially in the absence of any medical documentation or family that says otherwise. Is that okay? Or should you seek this definitive information asap, especially when the patient has a high probability of deteriorating?

In this episode Nurse Alice shares a recent clinical experience when she discovered a DNR order from an assisted living center for a trauma patient she just received after being told in the handoff from the ER nurse that the patient is full code. If this were you, what would you do? In situations like this Nurse Alice recommends the nurse absolutely find out if the patient has a POLST (Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment) and if not determine who is the medical decision-maker for the patient if they can't do so.
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