§ 20-13-901 — Definitions

As used in this subchapter: (1) "Attending physician" has the meaning provided in § 20-17-201 ; (2) "Do Not Resuscitate Identification" means a standardized identification card, form, necklace, or bracelet of uniform size and design, approved by the Department of Health, that signifies: (A) That the possessor has executed an advance directive as provided in § 20-17-202 which specifically addresses the cardiopulmonary resuscitation option of health care and which has not been revoked; or (B) That the possessor's attending physician has issued an Emergency Medical Services Do Not Resuscitate Order for the possessor and has documented the grounds for the order in the possessor's medical file; (3) (A) "Emergency Medical Services Do Not Resuscitate Order" means a written physician's order in a form approved by the department which authorizes qualified emergency medical services personnel to withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation from a particular patient in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. (B) For the purposes of this subchapter, "cardiopulmonary resuscitation" or "CPR" shall include cardiac compression, endotracheal intubation and other advanced airway management, artificial ventilation, defibrillation, administration of cardiac resuscitation medications, and related procedures. (C) (i) Emergency Medical Services Do Not Resuscitate Orders shall not authorize the withholding of other medical interventions such as intravenous fluids, oxygen, nutrition or hydration, or both, or other indicated therapies short of cardiopulmonary resuscitation unless the therapies are also specified by advance directive or durable power of attorney for health care to be withheld. (ii) The Emergency Medical Services Do Not Resuscitate Orders shall not authorize the withholding of therapies deemed necessary to provide comfort care or alleviate pain; (4) "Emergency Medical Services Do Not Resuscitate Protocol" means a standardized method of procedure, approved by the State Board of Health and adopted in the rules of the department, for the withholding of emergency life-sustaining procedures by emergency medical services personnel; (5) "Emergency medical services personnel" means paid or volunteer firefighters, law enforcement officers, first responders, emergency medical technicians, or other emergency service personnel acting within the ordinary course of their professions; (6) (A) "Healthcare facility" means any institution, building, or agency or portion thereof, private or public, excluding federal facilities, whether organized for profit or not, used, operated, or designed to provide health services, medical treatment, or nursing, rehabilitative, or preventive care to any person or persons. (B) "Healthcare facility" includes, but is not limited to, ambulatory surgical facilities, health maintenance organizations, home health agencies, hospices, hospitals, infirmaries, kidney treatment centers, long-term care facilities, medical assistance facilities, mental health centers, outpatient facilities, public health centers, rehabilitation facilities, residential treatment facilities, and adult day care centers; (7) "Life-sustaining procedure" means cardiopulmonary resuscitation or a component of cardiopulmonary resuscitation; and (8) "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine in this state pursuant to the Arkansas Medical Practices Act, § 17-95-201 et seq., § 17-95-301 et seq., and § 17-95-401 et seq.

Legislative History

Amended by Act 2019, No. 389,§ 27, eff. 7/24/2019. Acts 1993, No. 1101, § 1; 2003, No. 1322, § 2.