Treatment limitations in nursing homes in northwest Ohio

Eighty-eight nursing homes in northwest Ohio were surveyed by telephone regarding the acceptance of "do not resuscitate" (DNR) and "do not hospitalize" (DNH) orders. Written protocols addressing these issues were requested, if available. Eighty-three of the 88 homes participated in the survey. Seventy-five percent of nursing homes accept DNR orders, while 35% accept DNH orders. The most common qualifying condition for a DNR/DNH order was the approval of the family. Although 32 homes stated that they have written protocols, only eight were made available for review. The authors concluded that DNR orders are widely accepted in nursing homes in northwestern Ohio. However, DNH orders are less likely to be accepted in northwest Ohio long-term facilities and the use of written protocols is even more limited.