Do Not Resuscitate Orders on Medical Records

According to U.S. Legal Definitions, a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate Order) is "an advanced directive that is to be followed when a person's heart or breathing stops and they are unable to communicate their wishes to refuse treatment that could allow them to die." Basically this means that a competent adult or their advocate can issue an order in their medical records that if they stop breathing or their heart stops they are not to be resuscitated through the use of CPR or a difibrulator. As of late, it has become common practice to add a DNR to medical records, especially in the case of the terminally ill or the elderly. It is my belief that instituting DNR orders is a sound medical practice and a wise measure to take for those who are older or terminally ill.
Having a DNR order on the medical records belonging to you or a loved one is a great idea. It definitely helps to reduce stress during the time of a hospital visit. Rather than having to decide on the spot whether or not to resuscitate your loved one, the decision has already been placed by them and you have stronger peace of mind in a stressful situation. Many times, initiating "advanced measures" to save someone (ie CPR) actually reduces their quality of life and causes them to live in a vegetative state. Moreover, most terminally ill patients choose to institute DNRs because they have already been through so much and have decided to accept their fate. People may argue about the morality of this issue, however many religions actually support DNRs because of this. The DNR is an order only against resuscitation, so it is not the highly controversial "assisted suicide." The patient is not killing themselves, rather they are accepting fate and choosing to not be saved at the risk of a less satisfying existence. They are not initiating their death; rather they are refusing to be saved. Many times the use of CPR or a difibrulator can actually harm the patient, causing cracked ribs among other injuries.
The bottom line is that initiating these orders can help you carry out yours or your loved one's wishes if the need arises. We never know when the unexpected will happen in life, and it saves much time and stress to be as prepared as you can possibly be for the time. Whether or not to initiate a DNR is a personal choice; one that should be made before making it to the hospital bed. Having this decision made will certainly give you room to breathe.

Beki Martin