Legal Responsibility concerning the DNR order
Advance Directives
Include a variety of legal and lay documents that allow persons to specify aspects of care they wish to receive should they become unable to communicate their preferences
There are 2 types:
Living wills and durable powers of attorney for health care
Living wills provide specific instructions about what medical treatment the client chooses to omit or refuse in the event that the client is unable to make those decisions
Durable power of attorney for healthcare is a notarized or witnessed statement appointing someone else to manage health care treatment decisions when the client is unable to do so
} Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order or “no code”
} Means that no attempts are to be made to resuscitate a client who stops breathing or whose heart stops beating
} This order is written by the physician for clients who have a terminal condition, irreversible illness, or expected death
} A DNR order may be written only after a discussion between the client, client’s family, and designated decision maker and the health care team
A DNR indicates the goals of treatment has changed from restorative to palliative (relief of symptoms) to keep the client comfortable and allow for a dignified death without life-sustaining measures
Physicians are reluctant to write such an order if there is conflict within the family
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