Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
Has anyone asked that diabetes care (blood glucose monitoring and insulin injections) be considered excessive measures, particularly when the patient is on hospice and has a do not resuscitate order?Answer
It really depends on what else is going on with the patient and would need to be individually coordinated with the hospice team. It is something that I as a provider have ordered. I have stopped or decreased the frequency of montoring. I would encourage you to discuss it with your hospice nurse. Most of them are the true unsung heroes of our medical profession.I can envision decreasing the frequency of blood glucose monitoring. However, if someone requires insulin, withholding it might be considered the same as discontinuing food for example since insulin is necessary for the body to function. This and other such issues certainly pose many ethical and legal dilemmas as we have all observed. I agree that this is best discussed with the patient's healthcare team.
I am unaware of any such "policy"- but I would guess that an individualized Living Will adapted to these circumstances could be constructed.
