New York State

Information for a Healthy New York

Search

Site Contents

• Birth, Death, Marriage & Divorce Records
• Health Insurance Programs
• Employment Opportunities
• Forms
• Family & Community Health
• Health Care Professionals & Patient Safety
• Hospitals, Nursing Homes & Other Health Care Facilities
• Diseases & Conditions
• Health & Safety in the Home, Workplace & Outdoors
• Healthy Lifestyles & Prevention
• Laws & Regulations
• Statistics & Data
• Events & Training
• Grants/Funding Opportunities
• Permits, Licenses & Certification
• Press Releases & Reports
• Freedom of Information Law
• Webcasts
• Related Sites

You are Here: Home Page > Your Rights as a Hospital Patient in New York State > Deciding about Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) Orders  

Deciding about Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) Orders

A Guide for Patients and Families

What do CPR and DNR orders mean?

CPR - cardiopulmonary resuscitation - refers to the medical procedures used to restart a patient's heart and breathing when the patient suffers heart failure. CPR may involve simple efforts such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and external chest compression. Advanced CPR may involve electric shock, insertion of a tube to open the patient's airway, injection of medication into the heart and in extreme cases, open chest heart massage.