From Becker's:
Conceptually, "do not resuscitate" orders are straightforward medical documents. However, confusion among medical staff can lead to inappropriate care or patient harm, The New York Times reported Aug. 26.
In the 1960s, "resuscitation" referred primarily to CPR, but by the '90s, medical literature began using the term as a catchall for other medical interventions that would be to bring back a patient outside of cardiac arrest. The scope of the standard DNR did not change, but liberal usage of "resuscitation" created confusion, leading some physicians to administer or withhold care differently according to their interpretations.
Some research found that patients with DNR orders may not have received lifesaving treatment even before cardiac arrest and mortality rates are worse for DNR patients. Some clinicians interpret DNR orders as declining necessary treatment, leading them to withhold interventions such as transfusions, antibiotics and dialysis.
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