Many people believe that if a DNR was issued by a doctor in the hospital that this is sufficient. This is not the case. A hospital-issued  DNR is only valid in the hospital.

In Texas, a properly completed Out-Of-Hospital Do Not Resuscitate form is necessary if a patient wants to prevent CPR or other extreme measures from being used at home, in a nursing home, in an ambulance, or even in the emergency room of a hospital.

If a patient is not in the hospital but does have a properly completed Out-of-Hospital Do Not Resuscitate order, if anyone calls 911 for emergency help either the properly completed DNR form must be presented to emergency personnel immediately, or the patient must be wearing a special band on the wrist or ankle. A photocopy of the form is legally valid. If the DNR document is not immediately available, and if the patient is not wearing a band, paramedics will do whatever they feel is necessary, and they will transport the patient to the hospital.

You do not have to have an attorney to prepare an Out-Of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate form. Like the Medical Power of Attorney and the Advanced Directive to Physicians, Families and Surrogates, the State of Texas makes blank copies available. In addition to the signature of the patient or the patient's representative and the signatures of two witnesses, the form must be signed by the patient's physician. The form can be downloaded from the Texas DNR site. Note that both the front and the back must be printed for the form to be valid. It is extremely important to follow instructions for completing the form exactly.

The Legal Hotline for Older Texans also offers free advice and assistance with completing powers of attorney, do-not-resuscitate orders, and declaration of guardianship for Texans who are age 60 or over and have low income.