Medical IDs Save Lives

DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) Guidelines for Medical ID Wearers

A medical ID allows you to communicate your choice when you cannot speak for yourself. A DNR or Do Not Resuscitate request is usually made by the patient or health care power of attorney and allows the medical teams taking care of them to respect the patient’s wishes.

In the U.S., CPR and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) will not be performed if a valid written "DNR" order is present. Although laws may vary by state or county, it is typical for emergency medical services personnel who are presented with a valid DNR form, signed by your doctor, or who identify a standard DNR bracelet on you, to comply with the DNR order.

 

The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) allows patients with a DNR order to do the following:

  1. Prevent over treatment of elderly/disabled Medicare/Medicaid patients for the profit motive.
  2. Save money for Medicare and the private insurers in the form of the reduction of end-of-life costs for Medicare and the private insurers when elderly Medicare/Medicaid patients would ELECT/CHOOSE to refuse expensive ICU/CCU life-extending or life-saving treatments in the hospital in order to shorten their suffering unto a certain death.
  3. Wearing a DNR bracelet or necklace has become standard way for people to communicate their choice of a natural death over life
Do Not Resuscitate bracelet Do Not Resuscitate bracelet

How can you get a Do Not Resuscitate order?

An important first step before getting a DNR order is to communicate your desires for end-of-life care with those closest to you. From there, you need to inform those who handle your medical care and coordinate with them to ensure you have the correct and official documentation in place with the proper signatures.

Do you need more information on DNR requirements and forms? Please select your state below:

DNR Requirements and Forms (N-Z)

Nebraska - Advance Directive Information
Nevada - DNR Application
New Hampshire - Do Not Resuscitate Identification
New Jersey - DNR Orders
New Mexico - DNR Orders
New York - DNR Order - DNR FAQs
North Carolina - DNR and MOST Forms
North Dakota - DNR Handbook
Ohio - DNR Information
Oklahoma - DNR Consent Form
Oregon - End of Life Care
Pennsylvania - Out of Hospital DNR Orders
Rhode Island - DNR Comfort One Handbook
South Carolina - EMS DNR Order
South Dakota - Advanced Directives (DNR Orders)
Tennessee - POST/DNR Info
Texas - Do Not Resuscitate Program
Utah - Life With Dignity / POLST / DNR
Vermont - DNR Form
Virginia - Durable Do Not Resuscitate Program
Washington - DNR Info
West Virginia - Do Not Resuscitate Act
Wisconsin - DNR Info
Wyoming - WyoPOLST – Portable Medical Orders

If you or a loved one is interested in a DNR, please discuss this with your physician to ensure you have the proper paperwork on file and accessible.

 

 

*Requirements may vary by state or county; please consult proper medical and legal advice before engraving your DNR wishes on a medical ID.