Clinical meaning
Advance care planning is a process by which patients, in consultation with their healthcare providers and loved ones, make decisions about their future medical care in the event they become unable to communicate their wishes. The legal and ethical framework supporting advance care planning is rooted in the bioethical principle of autonomy -- the right of every competent individual to make informed decisions about their own body and medical treatment, including the right to refuse life-sustaining treatment. In Canada, advance directives are governed by provincial legislation, and terminology varies by jurisdiction. The most common terms include Do Not Resuscitate (DNR), Allow Natural Death (AND), Do Not Intubate (DNI), and Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (MOST, used in British Columbia and other provinces). A DNR order specifically instructs healthcare providers not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) -- including chest compressions, defibrillation, and advanced cardiac life support -- in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. It is important to understand that a DNR order does NOT mean 'do not treat.' Patients with DNR orders should continue to receive all appropriate...