When a loved one is seriously ill and hospitalized, the issue of whether to obtain a DNR order may become an issue. A Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order is a legally binding physician’s order that requires medical staff to take no further actions to restart a patient’s heart or restore breathing if the patient goes into cardiac or respiratory arrest. Without a DNR order in place, a patient undergoing arrest will receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as an attempt to prolong life.
Advance care planning is strongly encouraged for individuals of all ages as we never know when a situation will arise that leaves us incapacitated or needing life-saving measures. Advance care planning involves creating Advance Directives which consists of two components – a living will and a healthcare power of attorney. The living will provides detailed information on treatment preferences for a variety of different medical scenarios. The healthcare power of attorney appoints a healthcare agent to make decisions and oversee medical treatment when the individual is no longer able to make these decisions for himself or herself.
The decision to request a DNR order must be made by the patient directly if the patient is competent to do so. If the patient is not competent, then the healthcare agent named under the medical power of attorney will make the decision on the patient’s behalf. This will need to be done in accordance with the terms of the patient’s living will. Either way, a physician and the entire medical team may need to be consulted in the process to discuss at length the decision whether to implement a DNR order.
Once a DNR order is issued, it is placed in the patient’s hospital chart. Caregivers should remind medical staff periodically about the DNR order, especially if there is not a visible sign or note made on the chart or in the hospital room. Keep in mind that a DNR order only affects whether a patient will receive CPR. All other necessary treatments should be continued unless a patient or healthcare agent indicates otherwise.
While all of this may sound very straight-forward, split-second decisions often must be made in emergency situations. These decisions may have huge life or death consequences. The more detailed a living will can be, the better prepared a healthcare agent will be in stressful, emotional situations requiring important decision-making. Keeping caregivers, family members and the medical team all in loop on the patient’s stated wishes helps ensure those wishes are actualized.
For more information on advance care planning, estate planning and long-term care planning contact the experienced estate planning attorneys at Stouffer Legal in the Greater Baltimore area. You can schedule an appointment by calling us at (443) 470-3599, emailing us at office@stoufferlegal.com, or register for an upcoming free webinar using the link below:
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