> Oncologists and
> palliative care doctors don't need to write DNR orders. It's
> taken as read that their patients are going to die some day.
Not actually true. I've been working on 'Not for CPR' policies with out
palliative care docs lately. A number of patients with terminal illness do
want to be resuscitated- it is often the case that they want another week or
two of life for personal reasons and are prepared to accept low quality for
that time. It is very much a personal decision of the patient. People should
be allowed to die with dignity if that is their choice. Equally they should
be allowed to sacrifice that dignity for the chance of a delay to their
death if that is their choice. Palliative care doctors are in fact
particularly good at discussion with patients the risks and benefits of
treatments that may prolong life but worsen its quality (or treatments that
may improve quality of life but possibly shorten it).
Matt Dunn
Warwick
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