What are the minimu requirements for a DNR order,do not resucitate, to be legal?

Answer 1

The requirements vary from state to state. In order to have a DNR order, you need to have an "advance health care directive" or "living will" -- recently, both documents have been combined in Pennsylvania by some attorneys.

You can have a lawyer prepare the documents for you, you can also sometimes get them from your doctor or hospital. Once these are signed, they go into the medical records. When my wife had to go into the hospital a few years ago, they wanted to make sure she had a document on file. It is also advisable to let the family know that you have such a document.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society has some good forms, if you are looking for examples. Click here to access their web page: http://www.pamedsoc.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Family_Health_and_Wellness1/You_and_Your_Physician/Your_Health_Toolkit/LivingWill_PwrAtt_Act169_SampleForm.pdf

http://www.pamedsoc.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Family_Health_and_Wellness1/You_and_Your_Physician/Your_Health_Toolkit/LivingWillDeclaration_Act169_SampleForm.pdf

http://www.pamedsoc.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Family_Health_and_Wellness1/You_and_Your_Physician/Your_Health_Toolkit/DNR_Act169_SampleForm.pdf

One more thing, if your dad is having a heart attack, the EMTs on the ambulance will not ask if he has a DNR order. They will try to resuscitate him unless they are told not to resuscitate. REMEMBER THAT.

Answer 2

You should also consult your state regulations/laws.. I am not sure what state you live in, but some states, such as Illinois, require the DNR to be on a specific form. (In Illinois this is a salmon colored form). As a firefighter/paramedic for 8 years, I dealt with this a lot.. Now that I am working in the health-law field I am seeing this issue for a completely different angle. The key here is be prepared, get the forms well in advance, make sure they are signed by the proper parties, and then make people aware that this parson has a DNR.. it is a lot easier to stop or never start providing care, than it is to remove a feeding or breathing tube from someone.. Best of luck..

Answer 3

A living will should cover your wishes as to whether a DNR is or in not in legal effect. When you check into a hospital and wish to have a DNR placed on your chart, you will need to give a signed copy of your Living Will and/or executed Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (which merely gives someone else your legal authority to make or carry out health care decisions on your behalf) to the hospital indicating that these are your wishes. Without that in place, you are going to be rescusitated whether you like it or not.

Answer 4

The person who wants the DNR needs to sign the legal document provided by the hospital.

If the person is too ill or unable to make the decision, then that persons designated decider can sign it. However, in order for that to happen, the ill person must have a Living Will in place with specific instructions as to who can make medical decisions for him or her.

If there is no living will, then no one can sign the DNR.

Answer 5

If the guy has no longer set forth a sophisticated Directive earlier to hospitalization then the duty for making the determination will fall on the legal next of relatives contributors. The relatives is then anticipated to make the proper determination in line with what they think of the affected person might have needed. The legality - it fairly is going to likely be in writing and signed by the final practitioner on the affected person's chart. Ethically - the guy could have the proper activity of the affected person in strategies, and being making judgements in line with sound medical suggestion.

Answer 6

Your doctor should have a form. Just ask him for a DNR.

Answer 7

Living will, if you don't have that and a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. What is the holdup.