Do Not Resuscitate Orders

August 1st, 2011 | Author: | Health, Fitness, & Medicine

Considering the kind of care you would like to have if you were in an emergency situation is stressful for many people.  However, deciding on issues like whether you would like to have life-saving measures taken if you were unable to breathe or your heart stopped means that you get to decide your own what happens to you even if should you be unable to communicate with doctors. Having these wishes written down ahead of time may save your family the extra grief of debating over what you would want in that situation.

For this reason, the legal and medical communities have worked to develop advance directives.  Do not resuscitate orders (or DNRs) are one type of advance directive.  DNRs are basically for people who do not want any extensive measures to be taken should they have an extreme medical emergency.  The procedures that are not allowed for those with a DNR are:

  • CPR
  • Cardiac shock
  • Defibrillation
  • Procedures related to airway management
  • Any procedure which causes a device or machine to breathe for the individual in question

You can either request a DNR order from your doctor or fill out the form yourself.  One important thing to note is that while DNR orders are accepted at any hospitals, they do not apply in areas outside of hospitals, such as ambulances and skilled nursing facilities.  In order to have a valid DNR in these places you must have a separate out-of-hospital DNR.

One of the most common worries for those who are considering a DNR is that they would still want palliative care, or are worried that they won’t be able to change their mind.  If you have questions about DNRs or any other advance directive, contact the Houston living will attorneys of Garg & Associates, P.C., at 800-242-2151 today.



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