title: Do-not-resuscitate. Orders in surgery: decreasing the confusion.
abstract: Patients have the right to make decisions regarding their medical care, including the right to refuse treatment or to issue do-not-resuscitate orders as part of an advance directive. Health care providers must comply with the patient's wishes regarding care. Automatic suspension or continuation of a do-not-resuscitate order for a patient undergoing surgery cannot be justified. Surgical team members should consult with the patient and, if necessary, with an ethics expert or committee to determine whether the do-not-resuscitate order is to be maintained or completely or partially suspended during anesthesia and surgery. All surgical departments should have a written policy and procedure concerning the treatment of patients with do-not-resuscitate orders.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwialth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Kay A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ball
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D032722:Advance Care Planning / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D024362:Advance Directive Adherence / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D032962:Consent Forms / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D034462:Dissent and Disputes / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D033061:Ethics Consultation / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D009871:Operating Room Nursing / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D028701:Patient Rights / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000941:ethics; D016414:Resuscitation Orders / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014481:United States