# 'Who knew signing up for DNR was so complex?"  You, dear.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knew-signing-up-for-dnr-was-so-complex-you-dear/784970>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 22, 2017, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knew-signing-up-for-dnr-was-so-complex-you-dear/784970 "2017-04-22T05:24:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 33

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2017, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-knew-signing-up-for-dnr-was-so-complex-you-dear/784970/33 "2017-04-24T22:06:07Z")

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I’ve written on this topic a few times here before. Below find what I considered the most cogent points I made in 3 previous threads on the issue. Take what you can use. And note that it’s just the most cogent stuff I wrote, not that it’s all _that_ cogent. 😉

> [@Getting a do not resuscitate order](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-do-not-resuscitate-order/730271/18):
>
> Best check your state law (in the US). In many states, one must be a ‘qualified’ patient for it to be legal for a physician to write a DNR order for you. ‘Qualified’ usually means that you have a disease process which is anticipated to be fatal within a relatively short time, such as a year, or that you suffer from a condition such that attempts to resuscitate you would be even more futile than average, or particularly cruel, or would just prolong you in a very painful state.
> 
> QtM, author of many DNR orders.

> [@Assisted-dying laws: What defines "terminal" in terminal illness?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assisted-dying-laws-what-defines-terminal-in-terminal-illness/776259/3):
>
> My state (WI) defines “terminal condition” as an incurable condition caused by injury or illness that reasonable medical judgment finds would cause death imminently, so that the application of life-sustaining procedures serves only to postpone the moment of death.
> 
> From Chapter 154, Declarations to Physicians and do-not-resuscitate orders Wis. Stats. Database
> 
> The state seems to leave it up to my reasonable medical judgment as to what time frame imminently falls into. Thanks, state! I’ve lost some sleep over that one on a few occasions. But not on most of them, I will admit.

> [@Do not resuscitate order](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-not-resuscitate-order/436291/3):
>
> One needs to make sure that a DNR order is done right, and that all state laws are obeyed. If the proper regulations & processes are not observed, a DNR order will not be honored by many health professionals.
> 
> For example: In Wisconsin, a patient must be certified to be a _qualified_ patient by two physicians, one of whom is the attending doctor. Among other things, a _qualified_ patient is one who is expected to die within 6 months, or one who has a condition which would make attempts at resuscitation futile, or cruel.
> 
> Then, the patient (or the patient’s Medical Power of Attorney or Guardian if the patient is not competent) must sign.
> 
> And then the signature must be witnessed by two disinterested parties, who also sign the proper forms.

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