Advance Health Care Directives Part 2
The most common end-of-life medical decisions that you,
family members or an appointed healthcare agent must make involve:
◆ Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
◆ Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR)
◆ Do Not Intubate Order (DNI)
◆ Artificial Nutrition and Hydration
Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) is a group of procedures used when your heart
stops (cardiac arrest) or breathing stops (respiratory arrest). For
cardiac arrest the treatment may include chest compressions,
electrical stimulation or use of medication to support or restore
the heart’s ability to function. For respiratory arrest treatment
may include insertion of a tube through your mouth or nose into the
trachea (wind pipe that connects the throat to the lungs) to
artificially support or restore your breathing function. The tube
placed in your body is connected to a mechanical ventilator.A Do Not
Resuscitate (DNR) order is a written physician’s order that prevents
the healthcare team from initiating CPR. The physician writes and
signs a DNR at your request or at the request of your family or
appointed healthcare agent if you do not want to receive CPR in the
event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. The DNR order must be signed
by a doctor otherwise, it cannot be honored. DNR orders:Can be cancelled at any time by letting the doctor who signed the
DNR know that you have changed your decision.Remain in effect if you transfer from one healthcare facility to
another. However, consult the arrival facility’s policy to make
sure. Also, the DNR may not be honored if you are discharged from
the facility to your home if your state does not have an
out-of-hospital DNR policy.
May not be honored during surgery but this is something very
important to discuss with your surgeon and anesthesiologist before
surgery so your wishes are honored. Should be posted in the home if
that is where you are being cared for. If there is no DNR order, the
healthcare team will respond to the emergency and perform CPR. The
team will not have time to consult a living will, the family, the
patient’s healthcare agent or the patient’s doctors if they are not
present. When you request a DNR order, your physician may ask if you
also wish to have a “do-not-intubate” order. Intubation is the
placement of a tube into the nose or mouth in order to have it enter
your windpipe (trachea) to help you breathe when you cannot breathe
adequately yourself. Intubation might prevent a heart attack or
respiratory arrest. For more information about the health care
directives, contact Lex Omni attorney today. Time is of the essence.