Code Status Conversations

What is a Code Status?

Code status describes the type of life-saving actions you would want a healthcare team to take if your heart stopped beating or you stopped breathing while they were present.

During a medical emergency, these actions must be taken very quickly to keep you alive. That means it is important to decide what you want and share it with your providers before a medical emergency happens.

Having a Code Status Conversation

After learning about your illness and treatment options, you should have a code status conversation with your substitute decision maker and your care partners (such as close family or friends). During a code status conversation, you will tell them about your wishes so they can make medical decisions on your behalf.

You can also include your medical team in these conversations. Be sure to tell them about your decision once it is made. If you have not had a code status conversation, your medical team will do everything they can to keep you alive if you have an emergency.

This topic can make some people uncomfortable. It may be a hard conversation for both you and your care providers. Remember, it is your decision what life-saving treatments you want, even if other people have strong feelings about them.

Preparing for a Code Status Conversation

To prepare for this conversation, you can think about these questions:

• What treatments would you want in an emergency?
• What kind of care would you want if you stopped breathing, or your heart stopped beating?

You Can Change Your Code Status

You will have more chances to talk about your code status with your provider. In the meantime, if you change your mind about your code status, you can let your medical team know at any time.

Common Code Status Terms

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): An emergency procedure involving chest compressions (and sometimes breaths) to keep blood and oxygen flowing when someone’s heart or breathing stops

Chest compressions: Pushing on the chest to help your heart pump

Comfort care: Only giving treatments to make someone comfortable, like managing pain or breathing

Do not resuscitate (DNR): Choosing not to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

Intubation: Putting a tube into the airway to help with breathing

Power of attorney for personal care: A legal document that gives someone you trust the right to be your substitute decision maker. That means they can make decisions about your health for you if you cannot.

Substitute decision maker (SDM): The person or people who are legally allowed to make healthcare decisions for you if you are not capable of making decisions yourself. In Ontario, everyone automatically has an SDM. The law (Health Care Consent Act) tells us who this would be. For most people, their SDM will be their closest living relative.

Ventilation: Using a machine to help with breathing