Nurse lifts lid on "despicable" DNR practice in hospitals during Covid-19 peak

24 August 2020, 16:15

Nurse brands hospital DNR policy during pandemic "disgusting"

By Seán Hickey

This nurse revealed that hospitals across the country were issuing do not resuscitate notices to simply cope during the height of the pandemic.

Shelagh Fogarty was told that "the biggest problem which resulted in all these DNRs being issued was because hospitals couldn't cope," during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mark, a nurse in Herndon told her that doctors were pressuring families who didn't have medical know-how to sign DNRs for their relatives.

This comes as a new report has shown that care homes pushed do not resuscitate policies during the height of the pandemic.

He explained that the policy was to keep ICUs clear for young people that might survive Covid-19 and in doing so, when a doctor dealt with an elderly patient they would "convince the family," to sign a DNR "and move them out of intensive care."

Shelagh was in disbelief, arguing that the claims were "plain sinister." Mark agreed, and told her that "without the family contribution, all of this is disgusting, it's despicable."

This nurse told Shelagh that it was common practice in hospitals during the pandemic to "convince" families to sign DNRs
This nurse told Shelagh that it was common practice in hospitals during the pandemic to "convince" families to sign DNRs. Picture: PA

"When it comes to a DNR," he went on, "when you speak up and you say something about it, you are told 'you're a nurse, you don't know what you're talking about'"

Mark told Shelagh he had spoken up himself against the practice, but found he was not being called to work in the hospitals he reported to.

"You can make your feelings known," the nurse concluded, but warned that "not only will you not get another shift in that hospital again, they will make your life very very difficult."

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

More Shelagh Fogarty News

See more More Shelagh Fogarty News

The Princess of Wales says she edited the photograph that was released to mark Mother's Day.

The insistence that we see Kate is tantamount to stalking, writes Shelagh Fogarty

Caller tells Shelagh his solution to illegal immigration.

LBC caller tells Shelagh Fogarty that the Channel islands are the answer to 'illegal immigration'

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' immigration policies

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self-interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' migration policies

Shelagh Fogarty

Former Treasury official outlines 'three immediate priorities' likely to be reflected in Autumn Statement

Shelagh Fogarty

Suella Braverman's hardline crime bill seems like she's ‘interviewing' for career at ‘pathetic’ news channels, says caller

Shelagh and caller Sam

Anti-Semitic chants and actions 'delegitimize' pro-Palestinian cause asserts this Shelagh Fogarty caller

Shelagh and Ricardo Dos Santos

'It's sickening': Ricardo Dos Santos speaks to Shelagh Fogarty as two officers sacked over stop and search

Shelagh

Rishi Sunak has 'failed monumentally' to 'humanise' both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict says Israel expert

Shelagh and Callum

Twitter is a 'particularly dangerous' place to get information now says the Centre for Countering Digital Hate

Shelagh and caller Simon

LBC caller details 'disgusting anti-Semitic' act he witnessed, as hate crimes rise in fall out of Israel-Hamas war

Sister of missing Israeli woman

'We hope she's hiding somewhere': Sister of missing Israeli festival goer fears she is being held hostage by Hamas

Distraught caller on Israel-Gaza conflict.

'This is a war against Hamas!': Distraught caller wants Israel and Palestine to take down the 'enemy' together

Shelagh and Alicia Kearns

Head of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee expresses concern over Israeli 'siege of Gaza'

Shelagh Fogarty caller on facial recognition.

This caller lacks 'trust' in the government's handling of the AI facial recognition debate

Shelagh condemns PM's comments on 'dignity' of the elderly.

'He painted a picture of a Britain that the Conservatives meant to build...': Shelagh Fogarty condemns PM's suggestion that elderly have 'dignity'

Shelagh Fogarty on Jenrick

'We're full aren't we?': Shelagh questions Robert Jenrick's motive behind encouraging Brits to increase birth rate