What Is the Difference Between a Living Will and a DNR?
By CRYSTAL BAI •
The short answer: A living will is a legal document that states your healthcare preferences in advance — if you become unable to communicate. A DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) is a specific medical order telling healthcare providers not to perform CPR if your heart stops. A living will is broader; a DNR is a narrowly targeted medical directive.
What Is a Living Will?
A living will (also called an advance directive or directive to physicians) is a written document that communicates your wishes about medical treatment if you become unable to speak for yourself. It can address:
- Life-sustaining treatment (ventilators, feeding tubes, dialysis)
- CPR preferences
- Comfort care and pain management priorities
- Artificial nutrition and hydration
- Organ and tissue donation
- Under what conditions you would want treatment withdrawn
A living will is typically completed in advance, while you are healthy, and signed by witnesses and sometimes a notary. It is kept with personal documents and provided to your healthcare proxy and medical team.
What Is a DNR?
A DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order is a specific medical order written by a physician based on your wishes and medical condition. It instructs emergency responders and healthcare providers NOT to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if your heart stops or you stop breathing.
There are two types:
- In-hospital DNR: Valid inside the hospital; entered into your medical record
- Out-of-hospital DNR: Valid outside the hospital (home, nursing home, assisted living); must be signed by a physician and displayed prominently
Key Differences
| Factor | Living Will | DNR |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Legal document | Medical order |
| Scope | Broad range of medical decisions | CPR only |
| Who creates it | You (with witnesses) | Physician (based on your wishes) |
| When completed | Any time in advance | When medically relevant |
| Emergency binding? | Varies by state | Yes (if out-of-hospital DNR is visible) |
What About POLST?
A POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) — called MOLST or MOST in some states — is a medical order that covers more ground than a DNR but is more immediately actionable than a living will. It covers CPR, medical interventions, hospitalization preferences, and artificial nutrition. It is designed for people with serious illness.
Which Do You Need?
- Healthy adult planning ahead: A living will + healthcare proxy (power of attorney for healthcare)
- Seriously ill person in hospice or advanced illness: A POLST + possibly a DNR for home
- Most people benefit from: All three — living will, healthcare proxy, and POLST when applicable