• Full Code means that treatment and support will be very aggressive, with the use of cardiac resuscitation,
breathing tubes and machines.
• A "Chemical Code" calls for a less-aggressive plan. Drugs and intravenous treatments will be used to save or
prolong life, but if breathing or the heartbeat stop, no attempt will be made to restart them.
• If you agree to a No Code status, no extreme measures will be used for life support and resuscitation.
The decisions about what life support measures should be taken should be made by you in advance of a hospitalization or major illness. Then make your wishes known. This can take the form of an Advance Directive, a paper you fill out in advance with your instructions in case you have a serious illness and are not able to speak for yourself. There are also documents called Living Wills and Durable Power of Attorney. (These decisions can be reversed at any time.) This will protect you as a patient even if you are unable to convey the information at the appropriate time. It will also protect your family from the stress of making sudden medical decisions for you.
The best way to define the code status you wish and ensure that your wishes are followed is through written documents.
• A Living Will should include your decision on the extent of treatment in the event you become so seriously ill
you might die. You may amplify the Living Will with a codicil or statement of your wishes for additional pain
and comfort care if the end is near and the primary goal is keeping you comfortable under all circumstances.
You can include a written request for adequate doses of morphine or sedatives, for example.
