Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders

The patient is not usually involved directly at the time a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order is written. Although many people make their wishes regarding DNR status known in an advance directive, at this stage the patient is usually incapacitated with little hope for recovery. The physician, after consultation with the patient’s family, writes the DNR order in the medical record. The physician is responsible for following the applicable policies and procedures for writing DNR orders. When a DNR order is written in the chart, the nurse has the duty to follow the order.