Get Printable Do Not Resuscitate Form Nz

A do-not-resuscitate order, or DNR order, is a medical order written by a doctor. It instructs health care providers not to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a patient's breathing stops or if the patient's heart stops beating.

Its purpose is to let medical professionals know you do not want to be resuscitated if you suddenly go into cardiac arrest or stop breathing. People who are terminally ill often regard a DNR as a graceful way to leave the world on their terms.

I understand the definition of do not resuscitate (DNR). If my heart stops beating, or if I stop breathing, no medical treatment will be started or continued.

A DNR order is allowed for any reason. Any adult can request a DNR, including healthy adults. People most likely to use them are those who know in advance that their chance of surviving CPR is very low and/or they don't want to spend their last days on life support.

The main point is this: as a bystander, i.e. a non-medical professional, you cannot get into any legal trouble for giving CPR to a person with a DNR, and should always give CPR as soon as possible to all victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

Section 11 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 sets out this fundamental right as follows: “Everyone has the right to refuse to undergo any medical treatment.” Right 7(7) of the Code also states that “every consumer has the right to refuse services and to withdraw consent to services”.

If you decide against CPR, you can help avoid it by getting a Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR) or No CPR order, whether you are in a hospital or living at home. A formal DNR order must be obtained through your health care provider.

If you opt for a DNR order, you're establishing to your family and to medical personnel that you do not wish to receive CPR in an emergency. A DNR doesn't include guidelines for administering medication or nutrients; it only applies to resuscitation.