Battlefield Medicine, DNR Directives and Ventilator Allocation in the Wake of the Coronavirus Pandemic

Battlefield Medicine, DNR Directives and Ventilator Allocation in the Wake of the Coronavirus Pandemic

COVID-19 is raising issues around the globe regarding the application of battlefield medicine, the allocation of resources (i.e., ventilators and equipment) and the invocation of universal DNR orders. Interestingly, there is an intersection among mass casualty response, allocation of resources and DNR orders. This article will address battlefield triage medicine, allocation of resources (specifically ventilators) and DNR orders in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.