Slow code: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:22, 22 April 2013

Revision as of 14:27, 22 April 2013

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A third situation is one in which the medical staff deems that CPR will be of no clinical benefit to the patient.{{sfn|College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario|2006}} This includes a patient in [[septic shock]], one who has had an acute [[stroke]] or who has [[metastatic cancer]], and one with severe [[pneumonia]], which all have no probability of success.{{sfn|Braddock|1998|loc=When is CPR not of benefit?}} There is also a low probability of success for patients with [[hypotension]], [[renal failure]], [[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]], or those who are older than 70 or homebound.{{sfn|Braddock|1998|loc=When is CPR not of benefit?}}

A patient may request, in an advanced directive, to prohibit certain responses, including [[intubation]], chest compression, electrical [[defibrillation]], or [[Advanced cardiac life support|ACLS]].{{sfn|Dosha|Dhoblea|Evonicha|Guptaa|Shaha|Gardiner|Dwamenaa|2009}} This is referred to as a ''partial code'' or ''partial resuscitation'' and "such resuscitation commonly violates the ethical obligation of nonmalfeasance".{{sfn|Berger|2003|p=2271}} It is regarded as medically unsound because partial interventions "are often highly traumatic and consistently inefficacious".{{sfn|ANA Center for Ethics and Human Rights|2012|p=6}}

==Practice==