Which term describes a form of advance directive directing healthcare providers not to perform CPR if a patient stops breathing?

Which term describes a form of advance directive directing healthcare providers not to perform CPR if a patient stops breathing?

• A. Do-not-resuscitate order
• B. Brain death
• C. Coma
• D. Advanced directive

Answer: (A)

A do-not-resuscitate order is a specific instruction within an advance directive that tells healthcare providers not to perform CPR if the patient stops breathing or the heart stops beating. It focuses on resuscitation during an emergency and is recorded as a formal order in the patient’s medical chart to be honored across care settings. This is different from a general advanced directive, which covers a broader range of wishes about future medical treatment. States of brain death or coma are medical conditions, not directives. In some contexts, this DNR may be part of a broader POLST/MOLST form for seriously ill patients.

A do-not-resuscitate order is a specific instruction within an advance directive that tells healthcare providers not to perform CPR if the patient stops breathing or the heart stops beating. It focuses on resuscitation during an emergency and is recorded as a formal order in the patient’s medical chart to be honored across care settings. This is different from a general advanced directive, which covers a broader range of wishes about future medical treatment. States of brain death or coma are medical conditions, not directives. In some contexts, this DNR may be part of a broader POLST/MOLST form for seriously ill patients.