@article{ref1,
title="Suicidal patients with a do-not-resuscitate order",
journal="Journal of emergency medicine",
year="2016",
author="Henman, Mary P.",
volume="52",
number="1",
pages="117-120",
abstract="BACKGROUND: A suicidal person with a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order presents an ethical dilemma to the emergency physician. Many believe that suicide is an irrational action, and therefore, all suicide attempts must be treated. Others believe a DNR order should be respected even in the setting of a suicide attempt. CASE REPORT: An elderly woman with a known terminal illness presented to the emergency department after a suspected suicide attempt. She had a DNR order during her previous hospitalization. The emergency physician felt obligated to intubate the woman despite his recognition that she was terminally ill. <br><br>DISCUSSION: Reasons to both honor and not honor a DNR order after a suicide attempt are reviewed. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Not all patients who attempt suicide are necessarily incapable of making a rational decision about their health care. In some cases it may be appropriate to withhold resuscitation attempts in suicidal patients who have a preexisting DNR order. Institutional policies are needed to provide guidance in this situation.<br><br>Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0736-4679",
doi="10.1016/j.jemermed.2016.09.004",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2016.09.004"
}