2021 Texas Statutes
Health and Safety Code
Title 2 - Health
Subtitle H - Public Health Provisions
Chapter 166 - Advance Directives
Subchapter C. Out-of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders
Section 166.081. Definitions
Sec. 166.081. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1228, Sec. 8.
(2) "DNR identification device" means an identification device specified by department rule under Section 166.101 that is worn for the purpose of identifying a person who has executed or issued an out-of-hospital DNR order or on whose behalf an out-of-hospital DNR order has been executed or issued under this subchapter.
(3) "Emergency medical services" has the meaning assigned by Section 773.003.
(4) "Emergency medical services personnel" has the meaning assigned by Section 773.003.
(5) "Health care professionals" means physicians, physician assistants, nurses, and emergency medical services personnel and, unless the context requires otherwise, includes hospital emergency personnel.
(6) "Out-of-hospital DNR order":
(A) means a legally binding out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate order, in the form specified by department rule under Section 166.083, prepared and signed by the attending physician of a person, that documents the instructions of a person or the person's legally authorized representative and directs health care professionals acting in an out-of-hospital setting not to initiate or continue the following life-sustaining treatment:
(i) cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
(ii) advanced airway management;
(iii) artificial ventilation;
(iv) defibrillation;
(v) transcutaneous cardiac pacing; and
(vi) other life-sustaining treatment specified by department rule under Section 166.101(a); and
(B) does not include authorization to withhold medical interventions or therapies considered necessary to provide comfort care or to alleviate pain or to provide water or nutrition.
(7) "Out-of-hospital setting" means a location in which health care professionals are called for assistance, including long-term care facilities, in-patient hospice facilities, private homes, hospital outpatient or emergency departments, physician's offices, and vehicles during transport.
(8) "Proxy" means a person designated and authorized by a directive executed or issued in accordance with Subchapter B to make a treatment decision for another person in the event the other person becomes incompetent or otherwise mentally or physically incapable of communication.
(9) "Qualified relatives" means those persons authorized to execute or issue an out-of-hospital DNR order on behalf of a person who is incompetent or otherwise mentally or physically incapable of communication under Section 166.088.
(10) "Statewide out-of-hospital DNR protocol" means a set of statewide standardized procedures adopted by the executive commissioner under Section 166.101(a) for withholding cardiopulmonary resuscitation and certain other life-sustaining treatment by health care professionals acting in out-of-hospital settings.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 965, Sec. 10, eff. June 16, 1995. Renumbered from Sec. 674.001 and amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 450, Sec. 1.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1228, Sec. 8, eff. June 20, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.0506, eff. April 2, 2015.
