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For
those circumstances, your doctor may write a "DNR"
order in your medical record. This "do-not-resuscitate" order authorizes
other health care providers to withhold measures to restart your heart
or breathing.
Illinois
has a "pre-hospital
DNR"
program that can make your wishes known to emergency responders and
others outside the hospital setting. This program is primarily designed
to help people in the final stages of a terminal illness or who are
suffering from a serious condition and are certain they do not want to
receive emergency resuscitative
treatment.
"Pre-hospital DNR" Program
Paramedics
and other emergency responders working outside the hospital generally
have a duty to provide CPR and other forms of resuscitation when needed.
But some people may not want to be revived. Over half of the states in
the U.S. now have "pre-hospital
DNR"
(do-not-resuscitate) programs providing a doctor's
DNR
order to be honored outside of the hospital setting. Illinois' DNR
program is administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Getting More Information
If you
are considering a
DNR Order your first step toward this decision is
to talk to your physician and family. Your physician can explain what
will happen if you decide to forego resuscitation and whether it is
medically appropriate for you to do so.
If you
need more information after talking with your physician, here are some
other possible sources of helpful information:
-
Local hospice or similar organization
-
State or local Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
offices
-
Other professionals (such as nurses, social
workers, counselors, and chaplains)
DNR forms are available at ECFPD
Station 1 located at 210 E. North Street.
Please contact Assistant Chief Wayne
Stevens at (630) 365-6580 for any inquiries.
Illinois Department of Public Health Resources
STATEMENT
OF ILLINOIS LAW ON ADVANCE DIRECTIVES AND DNR ORDERS
UNIFORM DO-NOT-RESUSCITATE (DNR) ORDER FORM - Guidance for Individuals
IDPH
UNIFORM DO-NOT-RESUSCITATE
(DNR) ORDER FORM
(PDF Format)
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