(Death with Dignity: Planning Ahead for End-of-Life Care) few guidelines for signing a DNR order are given here. A Do Not Resuscitate Order - DNR is a physician's order to not to employ cardiopulmonary resuscitation - CPR in case of cardiac or pulmonary arrest. Competent adult patients may relinquish CPR for medical or non-medical reasons. The patient may make such requests verbally irrespective of whether or not he/she is fatally ill. An appeal to relinquish CPR may also be part of an Advance Directive. When it has been determined that the patient is short of decision-making capacity, the suitable substitute decision-maker should be recognized to make treatment decisions, including decisions to relinquish CPR, if no such person has been appointed by an Advance Directive. If the patient is out of action, and has no suitable substitute, including next of kin, the most sensible course of action is to obtain a court order designating a guardian to take health care decisions for the patient. The health care team might not perform in the role of substitute decision-maker. Mandatory reanalysis of DNR Orders before anesthesia, surgery, or other invasive procedures is necessary. (Do not Resuscitate- DNR Orders) Patients with DNR orders may be suitable candidates for anesthesia, surgery, or certain other procedures planned to facilitate care, or to offer for the release of pain. These methods may generate sharp life threatening situations, invasive airway management, assisted ventilation, defibrillation, etc. The truth that cardiopulmonary arrest is more probable to be reversible when it happens during anesthesia, surgery, or some other methods would often mean that it may be in the patient's best...

Patients admitted with durable DNR orders would have these orders respected by entering the DNR in the Medical Record and making the record of the number of the Durable DNR Order Form. These orders remain in force until annulled by the patient or the surrogate. Hence, it is compulsory for every adult to sign a DNR or otherwise order. (Do not Resuscitate- DNR Orders)
References

Care of the Sick and Dying. Roman Catholic Bishops of Maryland. Retrieved at http://www.mdcathcon.org/Care.htm. Accessed on 17th March 2005

Collins, Tony. Dealers of Death. Retrieved at http://www.envoymagazine.com/planetenvoy/Update-TCollins-TerriS-Jan04-Full.htm. Accessed on 17th March 2005

Dealers of Death. 30 November, 2004. Retrieved at http://www.catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=2&art_id=26177Accessed on 17th March 2005

Do not Resuscitate- DNR Orders. 1 January, 2001. Retrieved at http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/housestaff/policy-manual/dnr.cfmAccessed on 17th March 2005

Legal Eagle Eye Newsletter for the Nursing Profession. Vol: 4; No: 1. October, 1995.

Retrieved at http://medi-smart.com/dnrretarded.htm. Accessed on 17th March 2005

Patient Bill of Rights. Retrieved at http://www.nwhc.net/NWH/section2/page2.4.htm. Accessed on 17th March 2005

Rabkin, Miriam. Death with Dignity: Planning Ahead for End-of-Life Care. Retrieved at http://www.healthology.com/printer_friendlyAR.asp?b=healthgrades&f=elderly&c=elderly_endlifeAccessed on 17th March 2005