Cannot die in hospital even if you beg to.

@kayraymat my understanding of a DNR - Do Not Resuscitate - means do not resuscitate in the event of a heart attack. I don’t think letting someone die without food or water, or without tube feeding, comes under a DNR directive from a patient. Starving a person to death seems inhumane to me and even if a person refuses to eat for whatever reason (difficulty swallowing being one, in which case the patient should be tube fed).

If a terminally ill person chooses to die by refusing food and water that is their choice. A feeding tube would be abusive. If you are a hospice patient a feeding tube is not allowed. It is considered curative and that is not the mission of hospice.

Even if they don't want the tube?

I'm responding here to concerns about eating/drinking and more in hospital settings. Many problems can be avoided by having someone ambulatory--friend or family--be with the patient. Consent needs to be given for procedures, so if the patient is unable to communicate it is good to have someone there with medical power of attorney. My advice for someone who is completely on their own in a hospital is to get support from hospital clergy and/or social worker. They really can help. Consent can be a gray zone in an emergency, and many situations are far from perfect. My experience has taught me that non-medical support is often needed by the patient. A person can also ask to be discharged from a hospital to hospice. These are difficult subjects--and I'm glad those of you commenting have the courage to examine them!

@kayraymat some patients are in a state where they are not aware of what’s going on, and fight tubes and intravenous lines. In this case intervention is necessary, but if the patient has made a written decision for DNR that includes “no extraordinary measures”, intubating that person would fall under the “DNR” category. It’s usually people who are well into their eighties and beyond, who would add a written “no extraordinary measures” clause to the DNR. I am not an expert, however - it is just what I understand about DNR.

What I mean is, people requesting a DNR should be very specific about what they want before they are in a state where they cannot articulate it. In other words, make up a Living Will. Here’s what I found when I Googled that:
https://www.rvlaw.ca/living-wills-questions-and-answers/

@gravity3 so … they expect the patient to starve to death …?

Are you referring to hospice? If so, hospice is end of life care meaning that hospice does not provide curative procedures. If a hospice patient decides they want to pursue something curative they need to leave the care of hospice but can come back to hospice care later as long as they still meet the admission criteria.

This conversation has gotten too painful for me. I am sorry. Once I was critically I'll no hope. I was coded. I cannot provide anymore comments.

Did you have DNR filed at the hospital and/or note in wallet or executor of the Advance Care Directive? You need the directive in place.

It's my understanding that an Advance Care Directive is also required.