DNR Decision Guide Printable, Code Status Explained, Is a DNR Right for Me or My Parent, CPR and Ventilator Facts, Family Workbook Pdf

A plain-language guide and decision workbook for one of the hardest questions families face: is a DNR right for me, or for my parent?

Maybe a doctor just asked about "code status." Maybe a parent has started talking about what they would want. This guide explains what the words mean and what the treatments involve, and then gives you room to think. It never tells you what to choose. Wanting CPR is as valid as declining it.

WHAT IT IS
A 48-page fillable and printable PDF. Type into it on screen, or print it and write by hand. US Letter and A4 versions are both included.

WHAT'S INSIDE
Part 1, The words: what a DNR order is (and is not), DNI, full code, comfort care, out-of-hospital orders, and POLST/MOLST, plus why the same words can mean different things at different hospitals
Part 2, What actually happens: what CPR and breathing machines involve, what published patient guides say about how often CPR works, the risks they list, trials of treatment, palliative care and hospice, 12 common misunderstandings, and what happens to an order at home, in surgery, or in long-term care
Part 3, Is it right for me?: values worksheet, trade-off scales, scenario cards, questions for your doctor, and a one-page wishes summary to bring to a conversation
Part 4, Deciding for someone you love: who decides, two ways families think it through, what the person would say, questions for the care team, when the family does not agree, dementia, and guilt and doubt
Part 5, Talking about it: conversation openers, a conversation planner, phrases for the care team, telling people, and a letter to the people you love
Part 6, Changing your mind: how each kind of paper can be changed, plus a review log
Part 7: links to free state resources, a glossary of 24 terms, and the full source list

WITH SOURCES YOU CAN CHECK
Every medical statement is numbered to a public source, including MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), the National Institute on Aging, the American Thoracic Society, National POLST, and hospital patient guides.

FEATURES
- Fillable boxes and checkboxes (free Adobe Acrobat Reader recommended; most PDF apps work)
- Clickable contents page and bookmarks
- Calm, clear design that prints well in color or black and white
- Instant download. Nothing is shipped.

PLEASE NOTE
This guide is for education only. It is not medical or legal advice, and it is not a DNR order, a POLST, or an advance directive. Only a clinician who knows the person's health can say how a treatment is likely to go, and only your state's own paperwork puts wishes in writing. In an emergency, call 911.

This guide was designed by the slowcoffeenotes shop owner with AI tools assisting, including our AI assistant, Bean.

Digital download for personal use. If there is any problem with your file, please message us and we'll make it right.