 Welcome back to my latest video today. I want to talk about being a DNR versus being a full code and what that means and kind of the differentiating things between the two. I am going to be straight up. This is what I've experienced in the United States. I know a lot of people live elsewhere and so I'm sure there are differentiating things between the two and maybe they're different other places. So this is just what I've learned in the United States. But basically, where I'm in the ICU and when someone's a full code, that means they're full code. You're going to do everything as long as it's within like their religious beliefs. So for example, your whist witnesses typically do not receive blood transfusions and things like that. So full code, treat everything and basically what the actual full code stands for is if your heart stops, we are going to do chest compressions. We are going to shock you if needed. We are going to give you life-saving medications. We are going to intubate you, all of those fun things. So the actual meaning of full code is you are going to literally code someone if their heart stops. They stop breathing. You are going to do those things artificially for them to try and get them back. If someone is a DNR that stands for do not resuscitate, that means that you are not going to do those things if their heart stops or they stop breathing, things like that. But every patient is a little different. So this is kind of where the gray area is. DNR does not mean do not treat. So if someone comes in the hospital and they're a DNR and they're bleeding out but they still have a heartbeat and they're still breathing, you're going to give them massive transfusions or whatever you're going to do to try and prevent their heart from stopping or from things getting worse and escalating. That doesn't mean that you are not going to treat them if they are a DNR. There's also, sometimes patients will be a full code but they're a DNI, which means you can still do CPR, you can still do chest compressions but don't intubate them. They don't want to be intubated. Or if they have respiratory distress and maybe they haven't stopped breathing yet or their heart hasn't stopped yet, that you're not going to actually intubate them but do other measures. Again, this is such a gray topic because I've had patients that say, I am a DNR but I don't want to be shocked. I only want compressions or I'm a DNR but I don't want compressions. I don't want to be shocked. I just want the medications. So there's so many differentiating things and different things that people choose to do and choose not to do but the biggest thing is that just because you're a DNR does not mean you don't treat the patient. That doesn't mean that if they go into VTAC but they still have a pulse that you're going to be like, well I'm not going to do anything about it because they still have a pulse. You are going to treat the VTAC with whatever the doctor orders. Now this doesn't really, like this is different for hospice nursing. If a patient is hospice and they're a DNR you are not going to probably be treating anything except for symptoms. So this is just specific to ICU slash acute care in the hospital but I hope that kind of sums it up for you guys. I know it's kind of a gray area but that's why it's so important to have advanced directives and a living will of what you want so that way if you are unable to make those decisions for yourself that we can grant your wishes and follow and be respectful to what you wanted when you were able to make those decisions. I can't tell you how many times people come in that maybe said they're a DNR but there's no paperwork so we're treating them until a family member says no they're a DNR or sometimes someone is a DNR and the family member changes them to a full code. It's a very, very touchy difficult subject but without getting into that too much there's just this kind of rambly video and I'm sorry but that is the difference between full code and DNR. So I hope you guys enjoyed this video, give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel and I'll see you guys next time. Bye.