Part 2
Mr Bruce understands that his disease is progressing. He is adamant that he wants every effort to be made to keep him alive; he has only just started palliative chemotherapy and believes that if he has the chance to continue with that, he may get several more months with his family.
He is willing to accept the significant risk of pain and morbidity from CPR, for the small chance that it would keep him alive. He is distressed that there is any consideration that a DNACPR order might be appropriate for him and accuses Dr Douglas of giving up on him.
Donna asks to see Dr Douglas on her own. She is very upset that the issue of CPR has been raised with her partner when he is struggling to recover. Donna insists that any further discussions about it should be with her, not her partner.
How should Dr Douglas respond to Donna’s concerns and her wish to make decisions on behalf of her partner?
(Paragraphs 17-21, 28, 30, 59)
How should Dr Douglas take account of Mr Bruce’s views?
(Paragraphs 14, 40-42, 63-64, 139).
Dr Douglas and the ITU team feel that the benefits, burdens and risks of CPR are finely balanced for Mr Bruce. So, given Mr Bruce’s clearly expressed wish that CPR should be attempted, Dr Douglas concludes that a DNACPR order should not be made. She records the decision in the clinical notes.