Objective IX

"They don't prepare you in nursing school to have a baby die in your arms".

Adriel had the opportunity to treat a patient with trisomy 13 during his rotation in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Due to the infant's diagnosis, the patient was deemed 'incompatible' with life by the neonatologist. Thus, the baby was placed strictly on comfort care and the parents made him DNR. DNR stands for 'do-not-resuscitate', and it's a legal document that prohibits the healthcare staff from performing life-saving measures like CPR.

On Adriel's 2nd night with his patient, the infant began to code, placing Adriel in the middle of a moral and ethical dilemma. Adriel wanted so badly to violate the DNR and resuscitate the infant so that he could have the best chance at life. Although Adriel wanted to resuscitate his patient, he respected the legality of the DNR order, and ultimately followed the family's wishes. This clinical experience serves as one example of Adriel demonstrating the professional standards of moral and ethical conduct, while also considering the legal ramifications of his actions.

To learn more about Adriel's clinical experience in greater detail, read the first section of Adriel's journal below.