Hospitals Cover Up LiveStrong Bracelets, Fearing
Deadly Mix-Up With 'Do Not Resuscitate' Bands
12-10-2004 11:02 AM

TAMPA, Fla. --  A hospital chain is taping over
patients' LiveStrong wristbands because they are
yellow _ the same color as the DNR or "do not
resuscitate" bands it puts on patients who do
not want to be saved if their heart stops.

No mix-ups have been reported, but BayCare
Health Systems officials do not want to take any
chances.

The popular LiveStrong rubber bracelets are sold
through the Lance Armstrong Foundation as part
of the champion bicycle racer's efforts to raise
money for cancer research.

"It could be confusing, particularly in the
situation of a code or a cardiac arrest where
people have to think very quickly," said Lisa
Johnson, vice president of patient services at
Morton Plant Mease Health Care, which is part of
the chain. "We wouldn't want to mistake a Lance
Armstrong bracelet and not resuscitate someone
we're supposed to."

Hospitals use colored bracelets to quickly tell
doctors, nurses and other staff special
instructions for certain patients. For example,
at BayCare Health hospitals purple bands mean
the patient is at risk of falling; red means the
patient has allergies. Not all hospitals use the
same coloring system.