Unilateral do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders are DNR orders placed using clinician judgment which do not require consent from a patient or surrogate. Unilateral DNR orders can limit physiologically futile CPR which is associated with moral distress in clinicians, however these orders override patient autonomy and shared decision-making which may contribute to conflict at the end of life. We will discuss a clinical case of physician placement of a unilateral DNR order over a surrogate’s objection to it and discuss the ethical, legal and social implications of the case.
The Center for Bioethics & Health Law’s Clinical Ethics Forum brings together Pitt faculty (including law, medicine, nursing, and philosophy scholars), Pitt students, trainees, and UPMC staff for ethics discussions including journal clubs, policy discussions, and case conferences.
Location and Address
Online