Man’s 'Do Not Resuscitate' Tattoo Stumps Hospital
The Doctors and attorney Ann-Margaret Carrozza weigh in on the case of an unconscious man who came into the emergency room with a "Do not resuscitate" tattoo on his chest.
The Florida man was 70 years old and reportedly had an elevated blood alcohol level, a history of poor health and a slew of health issues. He arrived alone and did not have any identification.
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The hospital's ethics committee decided to honor the man's tattoo DNR after learning the man did have a formal DNR, which they subsequently located.
The Doctors say this story illustrates the importance of having a medical bracelet, which they feel is ideal because most patients do not have a DNR on them if they are suddenly brought to the hospital or the emergency room.
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Another option is having a health care proxy, which is an appointed person who can consent to a DNR. Ann-Margaret explains they are legal in every state and free to appoint.
The Doctors also recommend that even people who are not in their elder years need to have a discussion about their DNR wishes in order to avoid problems in the time of a health crisis.
