Question

Discuss the term "clinical death," especially with respect to when not to initiate CPR. Discuss what is meant by a "peaceful death" and a "good death," including goals for End-Of-Life care. How would you feel if you knew your patients did not want CPR but the family insisted on it?

Answer 1

Ans) Clinical death- No pulse & not breathing.

Biological death = permanent brain death (irreversible). Begin 4-6 mins after cardiac arrest.

Clinical death = real death (no breathe, no pulse)

The goals of nursing for dying patients or patients suffering loss:

- Promoting a peaceful death through compassionate palliative care and facilitating the patient's and family's coping with disability and death; providing support and care when loss or death occurs.

Good death- One that allows a person to die on one's own terms, relatively free of pain, and with dignity. Free from avoidable distress and suffering for patients, families, and caregivers; in general according with patients' families' wishes; and reasonably consistent with clinical, cultural, and ethical standards.

Euthanasia: Literally means "good dying"

DNR: Do not resuscitate

attempts are to be made to resuscitate a pt whose breathing or heart stops. Some facilities call this an AND (allow natural death) order.

If the patient does not want CPR but family insisted on it so there should be therapeutic communication: Tulsky (2005) states that developing trust is an essential first step in developing a relationship with a potentially dying patient and his/her family and an important factor in avoiding conflict and coming to a realistic decision about end-of-life care.