Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders

Nowadays, complex and invasive medical procedures may keep people alive far longer than they could naturally expect to live. But when such measures are unlikely to successfully revive an ill person or prolong meaningful life, it may be wiser not to undertake them.

A do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order tells health care personnel not to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a person's heartbeat or breathing stops. DNR orders can be one element of advance health care directives. Typically, a DNR order is written when attempts to revive a person would not be successful, would result in the need for permanent artificial support to keep the person alive after resuscitation, or would lead to a level of physical or cognitive impairment that the person would find unacceptable.

There are different types of DNR orders, and forms and laws vary from state to state, so it's important to discuss this with your loved one's physician. Generally, only originals are valid, so it's wise to have duplicate originals of a DNR form (although copies may be kept in a person's medical chart and a caregiver's files for convenience). Always keep one original handy in the person's home; the other should be carried by the caregiver or the patient at all times.

If a DNR order seems appropriate, discuss this with the doctors involved and note the decision in any advance directive. With a DNR order, you will continue to receive appropriate medical care to treat acute illnesses or injuries and relieve pain or other troubling symptoms. Emergency medical personnel called to the home can still give oxygen, medications, and fluids and take the patient to a hospital, if necessary.

Source: from Caregiver’s Handbook, Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.  Use of Content | Medical Disclaimer