What is a “pre-hospital medical care directive?
One problem that arises often is in dealing with the care of the terminally ill. Rather than risk the possibility of administering CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to a terminally ill patient, most hospitals have adopted a protocol for entry of DNR (“do not resuscitate”) orders. Arizona, as it often does, takes a slightly different approach. In Arizona patients can effectively direct entry of their own DNR orders by signing a pre-hospital medical care directive. It directs paramedics, emergency medical technicians and emergency room physicians not to attempt resuscitation.
