Dear Editor,

In this festive season our minds and thoughts are laser focused on the activities that come along with Christmas. However, in the midst of life the unexpected can occur and we must always be mindful of this.

Undoubtedly, health care is expensive, especially in those societies without universal health coverage (UHC). The World Health Organization (WHO) states universal health coverage (UHC) means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.

Additionally, goal number three of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals addresses the issue of healthy lives and the promotion of well-being for all, at all ages.

In some jurisdictions there are legal documents that address this specific aspect of health care for patients, such as a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. A DNR is a legal document that instructs medical professionals not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a patient’s heart or breathing stops.

People who choose to have a DNR usually have a terminal illness or other serious medical conditions. In most situations a health-care provider writes a DNR order after discussing the benefits and risks of CPR with the person, their loved ones, or their legal decision-maker.

Ideally, the individual would fill out a DNR form before an emergency occurs. A DNR order allows the individual to choose not to receive CPR in an emergency. The DNR order informs health-care providers not to perform CPR if a person’s heart stops beating or their breathing stops.

When you have a DNR it becomes part of your medical chart. Sometimes it is called a do-not-attempt-resuscitation order or an allow-natural-death order. If one is hospitalised, it may help to post your DNR order next to your hospital bed to avoid any confusion during an emergency. Without a DNR order, medical staff at the hospital will make every effort to restore your breathing and the normal rhythm of your heart.

No one wants to live in a vegetative state or in an undignified manner. As a result, it is important to have such a conversation with one’s health-care provider to make one’s wishes known.

CPR is a life-saving procedure you can perform on a person if his/her heart stops beating or their breathing stops. It usually involves mouth-to-mouth breathing or chest compressions. Immediate CPR can greatly increase a person’s chances of survival after cardiac arrest. The individual always has the right to change his/her mind and request that CPR be performed on them during a medical emergency. It is important to inform your health-care provider immediately so he/she can start the process to revoke your DNR order. It is also critical that the individual destroys all DNR forms and identification that your provider gave you or that you are wearing. Additionally, you should inform your loved ones and other caregivers that you have changed your mind and no longer want a DNR. Not everyone desires to be kept alive just for the sake of being alive.

The quality of life is critical. Everyone has a right to respect and dignity.

Wayne Campbell

waykam@yahoo.com

@WayneCamo