Insight: Nov 10

This week Insight discusses it always right to resuscitate when it’s wise to use CPR and when you are better off without it?

Mike Gale was dead for four minutes before being revived without any complications. But he is in the minority. CPR can be a brutal process – in hospital, the survival rate is around 15 per cent.

Complicating matters, in many cases, doctors don’t know how the patient feels about resuscitation. If they have formal documentation – a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ order – it often can’t be accessed in time, meaning they may be brought back to life against their wishes.

Do the benefits outweigh the risks and can you decide your own fate?

Guests include:

Leanne Hartley
Leanne, 55, is currently in fit health but has a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ order. “If I’m going to come back and all I’m going to do is eventually get Alzheimer’s or dementia or be less than I am, thanks but lights out for me please.”

Jess Holmes
Jess’s son had a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ order from age three due to health problems. “It’s not about me, it’s not about whether I’ll cope with the grief of losing my child, it’s about what’s right for him.”

Monica Hayes
Monica has motor neuron disease and is against resuscitation. “I understand I’m dying… All I ask is that I be allowed to die without any medical intervention.”

Zara Grayspence
Zara, 94, is hoping to live past her 100th birthday and would like to be resuscitated. “They all expect me to live to 100…they’ve got six years, so we don’t discuss it.”

Zena Najm, Emergency Department Nurse
Zena has witnessed some horrific resuscitations as a nurse. “I don’t think people understand how brutal CPR is.”

Prof. Paul Middleton, Emergency Medicine
Prof. Middleton strongly believes in CPR – if people want it. “I think that people have an absolute right to say they don’t want to be resuscitated whatever the reason is.”

Dr Charlie Corke, Intensive Care Unit
Dr Corke has his own ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ order and works in medical decision making. “You just have to do it…you either resuscitate or you don’t resuscitate. You can’t half resuscitate.”

Tuesday at 8.30pm on SBS.