Wills, Trusts & Probate
That's All We Do
Comprehensive Overview of DNR Orders in Winnetka
Making end-of-life medical decisions is deeply personal and often complex. In Winnetka, California, DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) orders are an important component of advance healthcare planning, allowing individuals to record their preferences about resuscitation in emergency situations. This guide explains what a DNR is, how it fits into broader estate planning, and practical steps to document and communicate your wishes. LA Estate Plans provides residents with clear information about DNR orders as part of will, trust, and probate services. The goal is to help you make informed decisions that reflect your values and ensure those decisions are accessible to medical professionals and loved ones.
A DNR order specifically addresses whether cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be performed if your breathing or heartbeat stops. While it focuses narrowly on resuscitation, a DNR often complements other advance directives such as living wills and healthcare proxies, creating a cohesive plan for medical care. In Winnetka and across Los Angeles County, proper documentation and communication of a DNR help avoid unwanted emergency interventions and reduce stress for family members. LA Estate Plans helps clients understand California’s forms and procedures, coordinate their medical and legal documents, and ensure that their wishes are clearly recorded and shared with healthcare providers and emergency responders.
Why a DNR Order Matters for Your Healthcare Plan
A properly documented DNR order helps ensure that medical teams will follow your wishes about resuscitation during emergencies. This legal instruction prevents unwanted CPR and other resuscitative measures that may conflict with your goals for care, preserving your dignity and personal values. Having a DNR can also relieve family members of the burden of making immediate, high-pressure decisions without guidance. When combined with other advance directives, a DNR contributes to a coordinated approach to healthcare planning, aligning your medical, legal, and financial preferences to produce a clear plan that medical staff and loved ones can follow when it matters most.
About LA Estate Plans and Our Service in Winnetka
LA Estate Plans assists Winnetka residents with estate planning matters including wills, trusts, and DNR orders. Our team is familiar with California law and local procedures for documenting and executing advance healthcare directives. We guide clients through conversations with physicians and family members, help prepare the proper DNR forms, and advise on distribution so medical responders and care providers can access the document in emergencies. Our approach emphasizes clarity, compassion, and legal compliance so that your medical preferences are respected while also fitting into the broader context of your estate plan and long-term wishes.
Understanding DNR Orders and How They Work
A Do Not Resuscitate order is a medical directive that tells healthcare professionals not to perform CPR or advanced cardiac life support if breathing or heartbeat stops. In California, DNRs are typically documented on specific forms or within medical records and must be signed by a physician to be valid in many care settings. DNRs are intended to prevent interventions that a patient does not want, and they are often integrated with advance directives or living wills to provide broader guidance about life-sustaining treatments and end-of-life preferences. Proper documentation and communication are essential so emergency personnel and caregivers know to honor the order.
When considering a DNR, it is important to discuss goals of care with family members and healthcare providers so the order aligns with personal values and medical realities. A DNR does not remove access to other forms of medical care such as pain management, comfort measures, or treatment for reversible conditions unless otherwise specified in a living will or advance directive. Ensuring the DNR is placed in medical records, shared with your physician, and accessible to emergency responders helps the order be followed when needed. Regular review keeps the document current with evolving health conditions and preferences.
What a DNR Order Is and How It Is Recognized
A DNR order is a written medical instruction, often entered into a patient’s medical chart or documented on a recognized California DNR form, that informs medical personnel not to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the individual’s heart stops or they stop breathing. It is signed by a physician and must be accessible to both hospital staff and first responders to be effective in emergencies. The DNR specifically addresses resuscitation and can be combined with other documents like POLST or living wills to create a fuller expression of treatment preferences, ensuring that healthcare decisions are consistent with the individual’s values and care goals.
Key Steps to Establish and Maintain a DNR Order
Establishing a DNR order typically involves conversations with your physician and loved ones to confirm your desires regarding resuscitation. The physician documents the order, signs the appropriate form, and places it in the medical record. You should communicate the order’s existence to family members, caregivers, and emergency responders, and keep copies in accessible locations. Periodic review is important if health conditions or personal preferences change. Integrating the DNR with advance directives and keeping coordinated records across medical and legal documents increases the likelihood that your wishes will be honored when urgent decisions must be made.
Key Terms and Definitions for DNR and Advance Care Planning
Familiarity with common terms helps you navigate DNR decisions and related planning tools. Key terms include advance healthcare directive, living will, POLST, and healthcare proxy. Understanding these concepts clarifies how resuscitation orders fit within a wider plan and which documents address different aspects of care. This section provides plain-language definitions and explanations so you can identify which forms are appropriate for your situation in Winnetka and Los Angeles County, and how those documents interact to create a cohesive plan that respects your wishes in a range of medical circumstances.
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order
A Do Not Resuscitate order is a medical instruction that directs healthcare professionals not to perform CPR or other resuscitative measures if a person’s heart stops or they stop breathing. In California, a DNR may appear in a patient’s medical record or on a standardized form and generally requires a physician’s signature. The DNR is focused specifically on resuscitation and does not necessarily limit other medical treatments unless those preferences are recorded in additional advance directives. Clear documentation and distribution of the DNR ensure emergency responders and caregivers understand and follow the patient’s wishes.
Advance Healthcare Directive
An advance healthcare directive is a legal document that allows an individual to express healthcare preferences and to designate someone to make medical decisions if they become unable to do so. This directive can include instructions about resuscitation, life-sustaining treatments, and preferences for comfort care, and it provides guidance for providers and family members. In California, advance directives help ensure that personal values guide treatment choices, and they work alongside DNR orders to create a comprehensive record of an individual’s healthcare intentions across different care settings.
Living Will
A living will is a written statement that specifies a person’s preferences for medical treatment in situations where they cannot communicate, often regarding life-sustaining measures. A living will can address the use of ventilators, feeding tubes, and other interventions, and it can reference a desire for no resuscitation in cases where that aligns with the individual’s wishes. When used with a DNR order and a healthcare proxy designation, a living will helps ensure medical care aligns with personal priorities while providing clear direction to caregivers and medical staff.
POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment)
POLST is a medical order that records a patient’s treatment preferences for serious illness or frailty and is intended to be followed across care settings. In some cases POLST includes directives about resuscitation, similar to a DNR, and clarifies a patient’s choices about interventions, hospitalization, and comfort-focused care. POLST forms are completed with a physician and are particularly useful for individuals with advanced illness who want portable, actionable medical orders that specify the scope of treatment they desire in emergencies and during transitions among care environments.
Comparing DNRs, Living Wills, and Other Advance Planning Tools
Different legal tools address different aspects of end-of-life care. A DNR focuses narrowly on whether resuscitation should be attempted. A living will details broader preferences about life-sustaining treatments and comfort care. An advance healthcare directive can both name a decision maker and outline treatment preferences. POLST provides physician-signed medical orders for serious illness that travel with patients across care settings. Choosing the right combination depends on health status, goals of care, and the level of detail desired. Coordinating these documents creates a clear, accessible plan that medical personnel and loved ones can follow when urgent decisions are required.
When a Standalone DNR May Be the Right Choice:
Clear Preference to Avoid Resuscitation Only
Some people want a targeted directive that only addresses CPR and resuscitation. If you are comfortable receiving other forms of medical care but wish to avoid resuscitation in the event of a cardiac or respiratory arrest, a standalone DNR can provide that precise instruction without broader limitations. This approach offers clarity for emergency responders and can be appropriate for individuals whose only concern is avoiding CPR, while other treatments for reversible conditions or comfort care remain acceptable according to their overall care goals.
Simplicity for Emergency Decision-Making
A straightforward DNR order can reduce confusion during an emergency by providing a single, clear instruction to medical personnel. When the intent is solely to decline resuscitation, simplicity helps first responders and hospital staff act quickly and in alignment with the patient’s wishes. Maintaining an accessible, properly signed DNR form and ensuring family and caregivers know about it helps the order be recognized and followed. This focused route can be especially useful for individuals who want immediate clarity on resuscitation without drafting a wider set of directives.
When a Broader Advance Care Plan Is Beneficial:
Multiple Medical Preferences and Complex Care Choices
When health conditions involve multiple potential scenarios or when you wish to direct care across a variety of treatments, a comprehensive approach is valuable. Combining a DNR with a living will, advance healthcare directive, and POLST where appropriate ensures that decisions about breathing support, feeding, pain management, and hospitalization are addressed alongside resuscitation preferences. This unified planning reduces ambiguity for medical teams and family members and provides a single framework that reflects a range of values and priorities for future care.
Desire to Appoint a Decision-Maker and Detail Instructions
When you want someone to make decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated, an advance healthcare directive naming a trusted decision-maker complements a DNR by assigning responsibility and authority. Detailed instructions in a living will or advance directive help that decision-maker and treating physicians interpret your preferences in complex situations. Integrating these documents into a single estate plan enhances decision-making continuity, provides legal clarity, and helps ensure that your choices are followed across different care environments and over time.
Advantages of Integrating DNR Orders into a Full Estate Plan
Integrating a DNR with other advance planning documents creates a cohesive record of your healthcare choices. This alignment ensures that resuscitation preferences do not conflict with other directives and gives providers a clear picture of priorities for treatment, comfort, and decision-making authority. A comprehensive plan also makes it easier for family members and caregivers to understand and follow your wishes during stressful situations, helping to minimize disputes or uncertainty when prompt action is required by medical staff or emergency responders.
When legal and medical directives are coordinated, it simplifies the process of implementing your care preferences across hospitals, clinics, and emergency services. Clear documentation helps ensure that the person you designate to make decisions has the authority needed, and it allows medical teams to make treatment choices consistent with your goals. This combined approach reduces administrative confusion, supports consistent treatment decisions, and provides reassurance to loved ones that your healthcare decisions are documented and accessible when they are most needed.
Clarity for Medical Teams and Family
A comprehensive plan gives clear instructions that medical professionals and family members can follow without second-guessing your desires. When documentation is complete and accessible, emergency responders and treating clinicians can act in accordance with your recorded preferences, which reduces the likelihood of interventions that conflict with your values. For family members, having written guidance reduces emotional strain and helps them support decisions that match your intentions, minimizing disagreements and uncertainty during critical moments.
Coordination Between Medical and Legal Decisions
Combining medical orders like DNRs and POLST with legal directives such as living wills and advance healthcare directives aligns healthcare delivery with legal protections. This coordination ensures that both clinicians and designated decision-makers understand the scope of permitted interventions and responsibilities. When medical and legal documents are consistent, they support cohesive care planning, ease transitions between settings, and help ensure that both immediate emergency actions and longer-term treatment decisions reflect your overall goals and preferences.
Practice Areas
Top Searched Keywords
- DNR orders Winnetka
- Do Not Resuscitate Los Angeles County
- advance healthcare directive Winnetka
- living will Winnetka CA
- POLST Los Angeles
- end of life planning Winnetka
- medical directives Winnetka
- DNR forms California
- estate planning DNR Winnetka
Practical Tips for Managing Your DNR and Advance Planning
Discuss Your Wishes with Loved Ones
Open and honest conversations with family members and caregivers are essential when creating a DNR order. Share your reasons and preferences so that those closest to you understand what you want and can support your wishes during emergencies. Clear communication reduces the risk of disputes and helps ensure that the people who may need to act on your behalf or inform medical personnel are aware of your decisions. Regularly revisit these conversations as health or personal priorities change so your plan remains aligned with your current intentions.
Keep Documents Accessible and Shared
Review and Update Regularly
Health changes, life events, or evolving personal values can affect how you want to approach resuscitation and other treatments. Periodically review your DNR and other advance directives to confirm they reflect your current wishes. If changes are needed, update forms and notify your physician and family members. Regular review maintains the relevance of your directives and reduces the risk of outdated instructions being followed during critical moments, ensuring that your care preferences remain accurate and implementable.
Why Winnetka Residents Consider Establishing a DNR
Individuals in Winnetka may choose a DNR to ensure their preferences about resuscitation are known and honored. For those with serious health conditions, advanced age, or specific values about the quality of life they wish to maintain, a DNR helps prevent interventions that would contradict those goals. It also relieves families from making split-second resuscitation decisions without guidance. Incorporating a DNR into a broader estate plan offers a legal mechanism to document choices clearly and to coordinate those choices with other medical and financial arrangements.
Beyond medical conditions, some people prefer to plan ahead to avoid uncertainty during emergency situations. A DNR can be part of proactive estate planning that addresses both short-term emergency directions and long-term care preferences. Ensuring the DNR is properly documented, signed by a physician, and shared with appropriate parties increases the likelihood it will be followed. Consulting with legal counsel familiar with California practices helps align the DNR with other directives so the full plan is consistent and accessible to those who will carry out your wishes.
Common Situations Where a DNR Is Considered
People often consider a DNR when facing progressive illness, advanced age, terminal diagnoses, or when focusing on comfort-oriented care such as palliative or hospice services. Those who wish to avoid aggressive resuscitation in emergency scenarios but still receive other treatments may find a DNR appropriate. Individuals planning ahead to reduce burdens on family members or to document specific resuscitation preferences also use DNRs. Each situation benefits from thoughtful discussion with physicians and family to ensure the order accurately reflects values and medical realities.
Advanced or Progressive Illness
When facing advancing or terminal illness, many people create DNR orders to avoid invasive resuscitation that may not improve quality of life. A DNR aligns emergency actions with broader goals of comfort and dignity, and it eases the decision-making burden on family members during crises. Discussing prognosis and treatment options with your physician helps determine whether a DNR fits the care plan, and including the order in your medical record and estate documents ensures the preference is recognized across care settings and during transitions between home, hospital, and hospice.
Proactive Planning for Older Adults
Older adults frequently plan for potential emergencies by establishing DNR orders so that their preferences about resuscitation are clear and legally documented. Creating a DNR early allows for thoughtful reflection and conversation rather than rushed choices during a crisis. It complements other planning efforts, such as designating a healthcare decision-maker and preparing a living will. Ensuring the DNR is accessible to emergency responders and shared with family members helps protect the individual’s choices and reduces confusion during urgent medical moments.
Palliative or Hospice Care Settings
Patients receiving palliative or hospice care often use DNR orders to focus treatment on comfort measures rather than aggressive life-sustaining interventions. A DNR supports a care plan that prioritizes symptom relief and quality of life, and it ensures emergency responders do not perform resuscitation contrary to those goals. Proper documentation and communication with the care team, family, and emergency personnel are essential so that the patient’s wishes are observed consistently in home, facility, or hospital settings where transitions may otherwise create uncertainty.
We Are Here to Help Winnetka Residents with DNR Decisions
Why Choose LA Estate Plans for DNR and Estate Planning
Choosing legal assistance can help ensure DNR orders and advance directives are completed and implemented correctly under California rules. LA Estate Plans supports clients in Winnetka by explaining requirements, preparing the necessary paperwork, and advising on coordination between medical orders and estate documents. Our approach focuses on clear communication, careful documentation, and practical steps to make sure your instructions are visible to medical staff and emergency responders. This attention reduces the chance of disputes and helps your wishes be followed when they matter most.
We work with physicians and clients to complete and place DNR orders in medical records and provide guidance on how to distribute copies to family members, caregivers, and emergency personnel. Attention to the details of execution and storage is important to ensure validity and accessibility. We also help integrate DNRs with living wills, advance healthcare directives, and POLST when appropriate so the full set of documents presents a consistent plan for future medical care and decision-making.
Our services include reviewing existing documents, advising on necessary updates, and guiding clients through conversations with loved ones about their preferences. We provide practical recommendations for keeping documents current and accessible, including instructions for sharing documents with medical providers. These steps help protect your wishes and provide clarity to your family and care team during important medical moments.
Contact LA Estate Plans to Discuss Your DNR Options
How We Handle DNR Orders and Advance Care Documents
Our process begins with a detailed conversation to understand your healthcare goals and current estate planning documents. We review medical forms, discuss the legal requirements in California, and identify which documents are needed to reflect your wishes. We help prepare physician-ready orders and coordinate signing, storage, and distribution so the DNR and related directives are accessible to medical teams and emergency responders. We also recommend review intervals and advise on how to update documents after major health events or changes in personal preferences.
Initial Consultation and Needs Assessment
The first step is a conversation to assess your preferences regarding resuscitation and broader end-of-life care. We gather relevant background information about your health, prior documents, and family circumstances, and we explain how a DNR fits into your estate plan. This stage ensures the plan reflects your values and identifies any additional directives or documentation needed to create a cohesive plan that medical providers and loved ones can follow.
Discussing Personal Wishes and Medical Goals
We begin by listening to your goals for care and any concerns about resuscitation or life-sustaining treatments. This conversation helps clarify whether a standalone DNR is appropriate or whether you would benefit from a living will, advance directive, or POLST. Our aim is to record your preferences in language that medical staff and decision-makers can interpret consistently while reflecting your values and priorities for future care.
Review of Existing Documents and Medical Records
Reviewing any existing advance directives, wills, or medical orders helps identify conflicts or gaps in your current planning. We examine prior paperwork for consistency with your current wishes and advise on revisions needed to ensure a DNR will be properly recognized by physicians and emergency responders. This review reduces the risk of contradictory instructions and helps create a unified approach to your medical and legal planning.
Document Preparation and Drafting
Once we establish what is needed, we prepare the appropriate DNR paperwork and any complementary documents such as living wills or healthcare directives. Drafting focuses on clear, legally recognized language and the correct forms for use in California. We ensure documents are complete, accurately reflect your instructions, and are ready for physician signature or execution where required so they will be effective and accessible when needed by medical professionals and emergency personnel.
Drafting Physician-Ready Orders and Forms
We prepare the standardized forms and orders that physicians can sign to make a DNR effective under California procedures. This includes ensuring the language is precise and that any required physician attestation is included. Having forms that match medical expectations reduces delays and increases the likelihood the order will be properly recorded in medical charts and honored across care settings.
Preparing Complementary Advance Directives
Alongside the DNR, we prepare living wills, advance healthcare directives, and other documents needed to describe your broader treatment preferences and designate a decision-maker. These complementary documents provide context for the DNR and address choices about life support, comfort care, and decision-making authority. Together, they form a cohesive plan that supports your medical wishes across emergency and ongoing care situations.
Execution, Storage, and Communication
After documents are prepared, we guide you through signing and execution steps, coordinate physician signatures for the DNR, and advise on how to store and share copies. We recommend who should receive copies, how to record the DNR in medical files, and best practices for ensuring emergency responders can access the order. These steps help make your wishes known and followed in urgent circumstances and provide reassurance to family and caregivers.
Coordinating Signatures and Medical Record Placement
We assist in coordinating with your physician to obtain the necessary signature and to place the DNR in your medical record. Proper placement in clinical charts and registration with care facilities improves recognition during emergencies. We also provide guidance on how to notify your care team and document the order so that hospital staff and first responders are aware of and can follow your resuscitation preferences promptly.
Distributing Copies and Advising on Accessibility
Once the DNR and supporting directives are signed, it is important to distribute copies to key individuals and institutions. We recommend giving copies to family members, primary care physicians, specialists, and any facility where you receive care. We also suggest practical tips for keeping a copy available for emergency responders, such as placing it with other medical documents or in an accessible location at home. Clear distribution practices increase the chance that your instructions will be found and followed when needed.
The Proof is in Our Performance
Frequently Asked Questions About DNR Orders in Winnetka
What is a DNR order and how does it work in California?
A DNR order is a medical instruction directing healthcare professionals not to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation if your heart stops or you stop breathing. In California, it is typically documented on a physician-signed form or included in the medical record. The order must be visible to treating clinicians and emergency personnel to be followed; otherwise standard resuscitation protocols may be used. The DNR specifically covers resuscitation and does not automatically address other treatments unless they are included in related advance directives. To be effective, a DNR should be discussed with your physician so it can be properly recorded and placed in your medical chart. You should also inform family members and caregivers and provide copies to your primary care provider and any facility where you receive care. Ensuring the document is accessible in emergencies helps ensure the order is honored when needed.
How do I create a valid DNR order in Winnetka?
Creating a valid DNR in Winnetka involves discussing your wishes with a physician and completing the appropriate California form or having the order entered into your medical record under the physician’s direction. The physician’s signature and placement in medical records are usually essential steps. During this process you can clarify whether the DNR stands alone or will be integrated with a living will, POLST, or advance healthcare directive to provide broader guidance about other treatments. After the DNR is signed, distribute copies to family, caregivers, and your primary care provider. Keep an accessible copy at home and consider registering the order in electronic medical systems if available. Regular review and communication help ensure that the order continues to reflect your current preferences and is noticed by responders during emergencies.
Can I change or revoke my DNR order?
Yes, you can change or revoke your DNR as long as you have the capacity to make medical decisions. To revoke a DNR, inform your physician and healthcare providers so they can update medical records and remove or mark the previous order as revoked. It is important to notify family members and caregivers of any changes so they do not rely on an outdated instruction in an emergency. If your capacity changes, discuss how to document updated wishes and whether a healthcare proxy or decision-maker should record future preferences. Regularly reviewing and, when appropriate, revising your directives helps keep your medical orders aligned with your current values and medical condition.
Does a DNR order stop other medical treatments?
A DNR order applies specifically to resuscitation efforts and does not automatically cancel other forms of medical treatment. You can still receive other treatments such as medication, surgery for reversible conditions, pain management, and comfort-focused care unless you specify otherwise in a living will or advance healthcare directive. Combining a DNR with broader directives ensures your choices about other treatments are clear. Discussing the scope of care you want with your physician helps clarify how a DNR will interact with ongoing treatment plans. Clear documentation in a living will or advance directive can outline preferences for life support, hospitalization, and comfort measures so providers understand the full context of your care wishes.
How does LA Estate Plans assist with DNR orders?
LA Estate Plans helps Winnetka residents by explaining California requirements for DNR orders, preparing required forms, and coordinating with physicians to ensure proper documentation. We assist in integrating the DNR into a broader estate plan that includes living wills and advance healthcare directives when appropriate, helping to avoid conflicting instructions and to ensure consistency across documents. We also advise on practical matters such as how to distribute and store copies, how to share the DNR with emergency responders and family members, and when to review or update documents. Our goal is to make the process manageable and to ensure that your instructions are available and recognized when needed.
Will emergency responders in Winnetka honor a DNR order?
Properly executed DNR orders are recognized by emergency responders and medical personnel in Winnetka and throughout California, provided the order is visible and placed in medical records or presented to responders. Carrying an accessible copy and informing caregivers and emergency contacts increases the likelihood that responders will follow the instruction in an emergency. To maximize effectiveness, ensure that the DNR is signed by a physician and that copies are given to your primary care provider and local emergency services if possible. Clear communication and accessible documentation are key to ensuring that your resuscitation wishes are respected in urgent situations.
What happens if family members disagree with my DNR?
A valid DNR order generally takes precedence over family objections during medical emergencies because it represents the patient’s documented wishes. However, disagreements can create emotional stress and potential disputes if family members are unaware of or disagree with the patient’s choices. Having open conversations about your preferences and sharing documentation with family can reduce the likelihood of conflict. If disputes arise, clear written directives and a named healthcare decision-maker can assist medical staff in understanding and following the patient’s instruction. Legal counsel can provide guidance if disagreements escalate or if additional steps are needed to clarify the patient’s intent and rights under California law.
Do I need a lawyer to complete a DNR form?
You can obtain and complete DNR forms with your physician, but legal guidance can add value in ensuring the order meshes properly with your broader estate planning documents. A lawyer can help make sure the language in your living will or advance directive aligns with the DNR and that distribution and storage practices reduce the risk of the order being overlooked in an emergency. Legal assistance can be particularly helpful in complex situations, such as when coordinating multiple documents, addressing potential conflicts, or documenting changes over time. Working with counsel helps ensure your plan is cohesive and that procedural steps for execution and notification are followed correctly.
How often should I review my DNR and related documents?
It is advisable to review your DNR and related documents regularly, particularly after major health changes or life events. Health conditions, personal priorities, and family circumstances can shift over time, and those changes may affect how you want to be treated in emergencies. Periodic review ensures that the orders remain consistent with your current wishes and medical status. When you update a DNR or other directives, notify your physician and provide new copies to family members and healthcare providers. Keeping everyone informed and ensuring medical records reflect any revisions helps maintain the effectiveness of your planning and avoids confusion during critical moments.
What occurs if I don’t have a DNR order in place?
Without a DNR order, medical personnel are generally required to attempt resuscitation when a patient’s heart stops or they stop breathing. This can lead to invasive interventions that may not align with a person’s values or wishes. For those who prefer to avoid resuscitation, the absence of a DNR can result in treatment that they would not have chosen. Establishing a DNR and integrating it with other advance directives reduces the risk of unwanted emergency interventions. Clear documentation and communication with medical providers and loved ones increase the likelihood that your wishes will be followed during urgent medical situations.