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Emergency Medical Services Advance Directives

An advance directive is a form and authorization that allows you to direct physicians to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment. An advance directive is used when you have an illness that is an irreversible or incurable condition. They allow you to tell doctors and those close to you what you wish to be done should you need life sustaining treatment. If you don’t have an advance directive, doctors may use machines, such as respirators, to keep you alive.

Please see NMAC 7.27.6 to learn more about Emergency Medical Services Advance Directives.


Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)

A DNR order allows a person in cardiac or respiratory arrest, to have resuscitative measures be withheld including external chest compressions, intubation, defibrillation, administration of cardiac medications and artificial respiration.


Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment (MOST)

A MOST can be provided by a physician to outline a plan of care respecting the patient’s wishes concerning care at life’s end.