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a Patient Baby girl G was born 4 weeks premature with severe brain anomalies.  Prenatal testing had alerted her doctors and her parents to this reality, and her parents were counseled that she would likely die soon after her birth.  They were devastated, but their strong religious beliefs kept them hoping for a miracle.  ImmediatelyRead more

But first, you must understand what it is you are asking I’ve written several posts about the importance of discussions centering on how a patient wants to live during the time they have left (the ‘goals’ discussion) rather than concentrating on what they want when they are dying (the ‘code status’ conversation).  But for practical purposes,Read more

In my most recent posts, I’ve stressed that providers need to remain cognizant of the fact that conversations about shifting code status to DNaR, or transitioning to comfort focused care, are essentially asking patients/families to say it’s ok for them or their loved one to die. And that can be too much for people. So,Read more