(Missourinet) – The Missouri House of Representatives is considering a bill that would modify the state’s Do Not Resuscitate orders by covering minors under 18 years old.
State Representative Hannah Kelly says her bill deals not with how a DNR order is created, but honors the wishes of the parents and the physicians without putting the EMS worker in the middle when 911 is called.
“So that everybody knows exactly how the guardrails are when it comes to what is a very hard conversation about Do Not Resuscitate orders, you know, making sure that the patient’s wishes are respected and that the health care professionals know exactly what they need to do at that moment because we have clarified in state statute.”
The bill would allow patients under 18 to have Do Not Resuscitate orders issued on their behalf by a parent or legal guardian. Democratic state Representative Sarah Unsicker is concerned that some parents with undiagnosed mental health illness could make that decision for their child against the child’s best interests.
