ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
do not resuscitate orders
Exempts the enforcement of
prehospital medical care directives for medical emergencies involving children
or disabled adults in a public or private school.
Prehospital medical care
directives allow a person, in advance, to direct the withholding of
cardiopulmonary resuscitation by emergency medical system and hospital
emergency department personnel in the event the person suffers from cardiac or
respiratory arrest. Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation includes cardiac compression, defibrillation, artificial
ventilation, endotracheal intubation, other advanced airway management,
administration of advanced cardiac life support drugs and related emergency
medical procedures but does not include other medical interventions such as
intravenous fluids, oxygen or other therapies deemed necessary to provide
comfort care or alleviate pain.
In recent years, legal
rulings and policy changes have expanded educational opportunities for children
and adults with disabilities or handicaps.
As a result, some children who have chronic or terminal conditions may
be at risk of dying while attending school.
Some of these students may have a prehospital medical care
directive. According to an American
Academy of Pediatrics policy statement, school officials may be concerned with
the effects of do not resuscitate orders on a school. Among potential areas of concern for school officials are the
effect on other students and liability issues if school personnel misinterpret
the order.
There are no costs to the
state general fund associated with the provisions of this measure.
1. Exempts the enforcement of prehospital medical care directives for medical emergencies involving children or disabled adults in a public or private school.
2. Makes technical corrections.
3. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 16, 2001