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is not the same as a do-not-resuscitate (dnR) order. A dnR is a legal order either deposited with the hospital or spelled out on a legal form. It formally lets caregivers and family know that the patient wishes not to receive cPR or advanced cardiac life support if this patient’s heartbeat stopped or if he or she stopped breathing.

Durable power of attorney for health care: This is a le-gal document that appoints another person (for example, a family member or your spouse) to make medical deci-sions for you if you become temporarily or permanently unable to make those decisions. This document applies to health care decisions only. The main beneft of the power of attorney is that the appointed representative can make decisions in actual circumstances. This is different from the advance decisions framed in hypothetical situations

that are recorded in a living will. The best way to prepare for an emergency situation or extended illness would be to have both documents in place.

Physician orders for scope of treatment (POST):

PoST is also a legal document and can include a dnR. This document must be signed by a physician. Its pur-pose is to let eMS and other health care providers know whether you wish to be resuscitated in the event of respiratory and/or cardiac arrest as well as which spe-cifc medical interventions you desire. This document is a permanent statement of your wishes regarding resuscitation and remains in effect both in and out of health care facilities.

b e r e s p o n s I b l e — m a k e y o u r W I s h e s k n o W n

“Having advance directives can make it a lot easier for family members to cope with death because they know the patient was treated according to his or her wishes,” dr. nickol said. “This is a discussion that needs to hap-pen with family.”

The paperwork for advance directives is available through the Secretary of State website, Kootenai Health social services and many family physician offces. “once you fll out the forms, make sure you have sev-eral copies,” dr. nickol said. “you should have one on fle, anyone you have given power of attorney should have ac-cess to one and your physician should have one.”

“every single person should have a durable power of attor-ney and a living will,” James said. “you never know when you might need it.”

“Sometimes a doctor or a family member will disagree with a patient’s wishes or may not know what those wishes are. It’s important to make your wishes known to both your family and physician.”

—Jennifer James, Kootenai Health chaplain

Thomas Nickol, M.D.

koo t e na I h e a l t h . or g

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