Patients with Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders Undergoing Surgery Article

Patients with Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders Undergoing Surgery - Article Example It was not a life-saving technique. DNR orders are interventions which are meant to extend the life of the patient; these are not interventions which are meant to lend her comfort from her symptoms (Blankenship, 2008). The patient’s words also indicate that she is allowing other interventions which are meant to save her life. At this point, the DNR is revoked (Schwab and Gelfman, 2005). The daughter cannot expect the DNR order or the living will be applied anymore because the patient herself is still mentally competent enough to revoke it. The daughter is also not the legally authorized proxy who can make the decisions for the patient. Proxies are usually assigned where patients are unconscious or mentally incapacitated to make sound decisions about their health (Schwab and Gelfman, 2005). In this case, the patient is conscious and is able to express her wishes coherently, logically, and with a sound mind. The patient has the right to authorize a DNR order and also to revoke it. Under these conditions, such right cannot be transferred to the family members, in this case, her daughter. The nurse must, therefore, follow the patient’s orders (Newkirk, 2009). The nurse and the physician must also honor the patient’s right to self-determination by upholding the DNR order unless and until the patient revokes it. The patient still has the proper faculties to make decisions regarding her care. Nevertheless, it is still part of the nurse’s duty to clarify the patient’s request, discussing what she wants to be done and mentioning if she means to revoke her previous DNR orders (Newkirk, 2009). Whatever measures which the patient has chosen must then be respected and implemented. Under acute conditions, other health professionals would be in the room to assist in the patient’s care and they can also support the fact that the patient has revoked her previous DNR o rder.