CPR - Decisions Relating to No Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Orders

Summary
This current advice supplements NSW Health's GL2005_057 Guidelines for end of life care and decision-making, and should be read in conjunction with it. This Guideline provides more detailed advice about a particular type of end of life decision - the advance decision not to provide CPR in the event of cardiorespiratory arrest. For a proportion of patients, often those with serious, chronic and ultimately fatal conditions, cardiorespiratory arrest is an anticipated consequence of their illness. While this may be foreseen, the timing can often not be anticipated, and so advance planning for appropriate response is desirable. This Guideline outlines an appropriate process for reaching such decisions, including initiating a conversation with patients or family, the basis for decision-making (where the patient either has or does not have decision-making capacity), and documenting and communicating such decisions.

Date of Publication: 02 December 2008

Replaces: N/A
Author Branch: Health Research and Ethics

This document applies to: Area Health Services/Chief Executive Governed Statutory Health Corporation, Board Governed Statutory Health Corporations, Affiliated Health Organisations - Non Declared, Affiliated Health Organisations - Declared, NSW Ambulance Service, Public Hospitals

Audience: Clinical staff involved in clinical decisions about use of CPR & those developing local resus policy

Distributed to: Public Health System, Community Health Centres , Divisions of General Practice, Government Medical Officers, NSW Ambulance Service , NSW Department of Health, Public Health Units, Public Hospitals, Private Hospitals and Day Procedure Centres , Private Nursing Homes, Tertiary Education Institutes

Review Date: 02 December 2013

File No: 07/3593

Status: Active

File link: CPR - Decisions Relating to No Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Orders
File size: 117Kb