Articles: disease.
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When approaching medicine, phenomenology has at least two meanings that need to be distinguished in order to become relevant in its application to medical practice. Up to now, these two meanings have been overlapped by most of the scholarly literature. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to differentiate between them, thus endorsing their potential use in medical practice. ⋯ It is important to clarify the consequences of applying each of the two understandings of phenomenology to medicine in the context of its current development. Our present inquiry concerns not merely the disentanglement of the status of what today's scholarly literature calls phenomenology of medicine in relation to meanings of phenomenology, but also the limits of applying phenomenology to the field of medicine.
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Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is widely practised by healthcare professionals to revive heart beat and breathing in a patient suffering from cardiac/ respiratory arrest. It is increasingly being recognized that in some patients with specific medical conditions, CPR does not alter the overall outcome of illness, and is likely to increase suffering and further deteriorate the quality of life. ⋯ While ordering DNAR on the patient's medical case record, every effort should be made to treat the underlying disease and continue optimal medical care with compassion. This policy document describes the principles for DNAR, offers an algorithm and format for its implementation, and guidance on frequently asked questions.