title: District nurse responsibilities in relation to 'do not attempt resuscitation' decisions.
abstract: The Court of Appeal has ruled that patients and their relatives have the right to be consulted prior to a 'do not attempt resuscitation' notice being placed on file by a health professional. Failing to do so would be in breach of the patient's right to respect for a private and family life under the European Convention of Human Rights, article 8. This article sets out the steps that district nurses must take to ensure that 'do not attempt resuscitation' notices placed on the file of their patients are lawful.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer in Health Law, College of Health Science, Swansea University.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Griffith
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006806:Human Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D024802:Nurse's Role; D016414:Resuscitation Orders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Accessible rights; Do not attempt resuscitation; Duty to consult; Human rights; Right to a private and family life