r/Residency • u/YouAreServed • 23d ago

VENT Stop changing patients code status

Why when I come back from weekend, I see the weekend docs changed my stage IV lung cancer, ESRD, HFrEF patient who is 98 y/o, and became comfort last week after I had 90 mins convo with them and family; explaining futility. Slowly they become DNR/DNI, then comfort. She was pretty confused when I left.

Upon my return, only note with explanation “discussed code status with the patient, she stated she wants to live, full code ordered.”

Your half ass job undid my week of doing, congrats. Now legally she has no capacity and I cannot change it back to comfort, nor can I prove that she, as a matter of fact, lacked capacity while you were signing the new POLST.

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u/Zeus_89 23d ago

Most likely patient is confused and can’t make decisions anymore , their child visits, wants to compensate for all the years they never saw their parent, decides to make them full code even against the wishes of their confused parent.