Other Types of Advance Care Planning
If you have questions about other types of Advance Care Planning talk with your primary care provider. If you are dealing with a life threatening illness or condition you may want to know more about some of the options below:
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)
A Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order is a medical order indicating that you do not want to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if your heart stops beating. Unless given other instructions, hospital staff will use CPR if a person’s heart stops. Talk to your provider about whether CPR is likely to help you reach your health care goals. If you decide you don’t want CPR, you can ask your doctor to write a DNR order in your medical chart. This will tell the health care team not to use CPR if your heart stops beating.
State-Authorized Portable Orders
(POLST — Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment)(MOLST — Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment)
Portable orders about life-sustaining treatment were created by individual states so that people facing life-threatening illnesses or life-limiting conditions could make sure that in a medical emergency health care providers would know and follow their treatment orders no matter where the emergency happens. These orders are often documented on a brightly colored form that you keep on your refrigerator or on a bracelet or necklace that you wear. They are filled out by your health care provider based on talking with you about your preferences. SAPO – State Authorized Portable Orders – are a new type of POLST/ MOLST that is valid outside of VA.
Organ and Tissue Donation
Some people choose to be an organ donor. To be an organ or tissue donor, you can sign up when you get your driver’s license or in your state's donor registry. If you have preferences about organ or tissue donation, tell your health care agent, loved ones and health care provider.
