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落花飄零 (熱門博主)
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code

(2006-10-15 10:34:33) 下一個
在美國醫療中,有一個環節是我在國內行醫時候完全沒有接觸過的,就是code status。

每個病人在住院以後,都會有一份詳細地關於緊急搶救,維持生命機器的信息,病人和家屬根據自己的人生觀念,宗教信仰,健康狀況,選擇code status,大多數是full code,就是要全力搶救的,就算要用機器維持呼吸也要繼續。第二類是chemical code,就是隻用藥物,不氣管插管,不電擊,不做任何損傷性的操作。第三類是 no code,就是生命垂危的時候,不做任何搶救,隻維持鎮靜止痛治療。

對我個人而言,如果治療隻是增加痛苦,而不是希望,那我覺得這樣的治療就是沒有意義的,對病人而言添加了不必要的折磨,對醫療隊伍來說,是浪費資源。也許我這樣說很冷酷。

J女士在ICU已經很長時間了,400多磅,終末期腎病,心力衰竭,糖尿病,脊柱膿腫,全身癱瘓,靠機器維持呼吸。沒有人來看她,她的母親是醫療決定人,每次打電話聯係,總是FULL CODE,雖然她從來不來看她。因為是FULL CODE,J女士身上插滿了各種導管,房間24小時燈火通明,透析機呼吸機聲音此起彼伏,她的生命可以說,痛苦地被機器運行著。

昨天晚上我on call,護士page我說,J女士血壓在往下掉,升壓藥已經到了最大量,血壓還是在50-60徘徊。護士說,要不要做動脈留置導管,那樣監測血壓更準確。我說病人的診斷都很明確了,能用的藥物已經都在用了,即使做了動脈留置導管,也不會改變現在的治療,為什麽要增加病人的痛苦。護士對我的決定很懷疑,認為我不積極治療病人,把責任壓在她的身上。我說這個不是責任的問題,是我們必須意識到,有時候醫療也有一個極限,沒有目的地盲目治療和損傷性操作,對病人其實是殘忍的。

但是護士覺得我這個intern很沒有責任感,堅持讓我page on call ICU attending,那個時候是早上三點半,我打電話到attending家裏,把這件事情跟他說了,他說you are absolutely right,我把電話給那個護士,然後起身離開了。那個護士再沒有page我。後來我不斷地在電腦上check J女士的血壓和其他指標,沒有惡化,也沒有好轉,一直到我離開醫院。

早上8點多的時候,突然medical alert,(就是醫院某處有病人發生緊急情況,on call的醫生需要立即趕去搶救),在心髒科病房,一個老年男病人突然停止呼吸,我們準備插管的時候,護士衝進來說,病人早上剛剛簽了chemical code,不能插管,不能電擊,我們隻能用藥,幸運的是,過了一會兒,他的呼吸逐漸恢複了。

他的妻子趕來以後,我的住院醫生再次跟她確認了code status,妻子留著淚說,他希望有尊嚴地活著,有尊嚴地死去,我認為他是對的。我們走進房間,她在丈夫的額頭上親了一下,叫著他的名字,他慢慢醒過來,朝我們笑笑,然後對他妻子說,你去哪裏拉,我看不見你,一著急,就暈過去了。

作為醫護工作者,我們不是從天堂飛下來的天使,拯救每一個需要拯救的生命,我們隻是一個平凡的職擔?米約貉У降鬧?度グ鎦?頤悄芄話鎦?娜耍?匾?氖僑鮮兜階約旱募?蓿?鯰幸庖宓氖慮欏5?竊誶П渫蚧?囊攪剖瀾紓?齙秸庖壞悖?翟諤?蚜恕?br />




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落花飄零 回複 悄悄話 on call today again, just leave a quick note here, Mrs J passed away this morning...
Angelboy 回複 悄悄話 To wuximm, haha..... it is kind of funny that we keep talking about the DNR in Luohua’s place while she is struggling in saving patient live. Indeed, you and Luohua are truly knowledgeable about the US hospital settings. Regarding the claim for the current ‘consultation’, if you can provide a CPT code, I may take the bill, but based on my knowledge there is no such code for charging online E-consultation, am I right? A modified code won’t get process. Haha, please excuse my defense and I am just kidding!!! Hopefully one day, fee for E-consultation will be incorporated into the next step of EMR implementation. Payers will recognize a win-win situation and be willing to pay. Nice to talk to you.
wuximm 回複 悄悄話 To angelboy: there is a pre-printed form for DNR order, they are usually placed in the first a few pages of medical record along with advanced directive or living will if pt has one, attending physician has to sign and specify what exactly code status is, such as: no CPR, no shock, no intubation, want HD or MICU transfer. Pt or power of attorney or family members sign their initial. Attending physician has to renew it every 3-7 days by signing initial and date. Also, in the physician's progress notes, usually will document that decision making processes by saying "discussed with pt or so and so, decided to have code status as such". Are you working for insurance company or lawyer, who requires you know all these details? I am going to charge you for fees, ha-ha. But I enjoy to answer your questions, make me feel I am so "knowledgeable".
To worm: yes, in hospital, there are all sorts of color code, I think code red means there is fire, code blue means missing newborn baby-usually is because the new father is too excited and bring a newborn baby out of boundary and tricked alarm, code zebra means bioterrorism, etc. I hope Luhao doesn't mind I take up too much of her space.
Angelboy 回複 悄悄話 To wuximm: thanks very much for detailed info, it certainly help a lot. So my understanding is that there might not be a word 'code' written in chart, it is just the word mainly used between providers communication, but there were full detail of DNR-related deion listed in pt chart, and all of them were raised and confirmed by pt. Thank again.
furfurworm 回複 悄悄話 thanks. what is red code and blue code then?
wuximm 回複 悄悄話 To Angelboy; Ideally, every patient should have a code status, if not, we assume full code. In the different hospitals, there are different names, such as DNR or modified DNR, DNR I or DNR II, etc. Pt makes decisions if he/she is mentally competent, or follows pt's advanced directive if he/she has one, or neither of above two situations, next kin or family members make decisions for pt. Full code means when pt is dying, physicians have to resuscitate pt in every possible ways, which include: CPR (usually will break up pt's ribs), electrical shock trying to restart heart beats, intubation to keep pt on ventilating machine, and using vasal pressor to maintain blood pressure, etc. Modified DNR or Chemical code means pt wants certain things done but not all, for instance, pt may not want any invasive treatments such as: No CPR, Shock and intubation, but they do want to have all other treatments like IV antibiotics, vasal pressor ( chemical code), any anti-arrhythmic drugs, and sometime including hemodialysis. Complete DNR means comfort measures only such as pain medications, O2, feeding, don't give any resuscitation effort so pt dies in peace.
Just like Luhao stated, it depends on pt's condition and religious beliefs..., physicians will give some advises to help the decision making. Full code doesn't benefit everybody, such as terminally ill pts, it only adds on pain and suffering and prolongs dying process. I hope my explanation make some sense to you.
Angelboy 回複 悄悄話 落花, 謝謝, 又學到新東西了, J像是有septic shock. 另外, 你說的三類code status會在每一住院病人的charts 裏注明嗎? 印象中,做chart review時, 沒看過這幾個詞, 但是,見過DNR 和 DNT(do not treat), 不知是否DNR ='chemical code', DNT='no code', 望指教.
wuximm 回複 悄悄話 I believe everybody should have a "advanced directive" and "living will". It is human nature that we want to live independent life with dignity, and we die in peace when time comes. In my experience, well educated and wealthy elderly patients usually choose DNR ( don't resuscitate), and less educated and poorer patients choose to have full code. The case you encounted is very common, these patients lived horrific life, when they die, there are no body even care to make a decision for them, so they will die in a slow and painful death as well. You did absolutely right in this case, place a Art. line only adding on pain and suffering to a dying pt and it would not change outcome, maybe make it easier for the nurse to monitor her BP, that is all.
北鶴 回複 悄悄話 哇,很受教育啊,從來不知道有這麽個code status...

妳在第一線上,對生命的理解一定是更加的真切和progmatic...

好文!
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