Understanding Resuscitation & Levels of Care
What is the state of your health? Are you aging and having more difficulty managing on your own? Do you have more than one serious illness (known as comorbidities)?
Do you know what your preferences for health care are? Have you said, “I don’t want heroics”. Do you understand what heroics, DNR, and No CPR mean?
Even if you are not ready to make a decision about whether you want to be resuscitated should your heart and breathing ever stop, having an understanding now about your preferences for future care will mean you can have informed conversations with your healthcare professionals and loved-ones in the future.
Understand Resuscitation & No Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (No CPR)
If you decide you don’t want ‘heroics’ this is the place to start… as, most often the other life-sustaining measures come after a cardiac arrest. CPR is the act of manual, aggressive, compressions on your chest. 'No CPR' is the same as 'DNR' or 'Do Not Resuscitate'. Understand these vital terms.
Understand Terms Used in Resuscitation and End of Life
As you move through the sections on Resuscitation and Levels of Care, you will need to understand the medical terms used in the medical system regarding treatment, resuscitation, and end-of-life care.
Understand Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (MOST) in BC, Canada
These are medical orders for level of resuscitation and treatment in hospital, residential care, or palliative care and hospice. Too often, MOST is not discussed with the patient or Substitute Decision Maker until a time of crisis and compassionate conversation is no longer a priority. Understand these orders before a crisis.
Navigating the BC Healthcare System
by Connie Jorsvik
After two years and hundreds of hours, I am pleased to introduce my latest book, which I believe is the most thorough resource on this topic available to date. If you are a patient or a care partner in our fast-paced and fragmented healthcare system, this is a step-by-step guide to surviving, and thriving.
