Section 144A.1 – Short title.

144A.1 Short title. This chapter may be cited as the “Life-sustaining Procedures Act”. 85 Acts, ch 3, §2

Section 144A.10 – Penalties.

144A.10 Penalties. 1. Any person who willfully conceals, withholds, cancels, destroys, alters, defaces, or obliterates the declaration, out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate order, or out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate identifier of another without the declarant’s or patient’s consent or who falsifies or forges a revocation of the declaration or out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate order of another is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. 2. […]

Section 144A.11 – General provisions.

144A.11 General provisions. 1. Death resulting from the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures pursuant to a declaration or out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate order and in accordance with this chapter does not, for any purpose, constitute a suicide, homicide, or dependent adult abuse. 2. The executing of a declaration pursuant to section 144A.3 or an out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate […]

Section 144A.12 – Application to existing declarations.

144A.12 Application to existing declarations. A declaration executed prior to April 23, 1992, shall remain valid and shall be given effect in accordance with the then-applicable provisions of this chapter. If a declaration executed prior to April 23, 1992, includes a provision which would not have been given effect under this chapter prior to April […]

Section 144A.2 – Definitions.

144A.2 Definitions. Except as otherwise provided, as used in this chapter: 1. “Adult” means an individual eighteen years of age or older. 2. “Attending physician” means the physician selected by, or assigned to, the patient who has primary responsibility for the treatment and care of the patient. 3. “Declaration” means a document executed in accordance […]

Section 144A.3 – Declaration relating to use of life-sustaining procedures.

144A.3 Declaration relating to use of life-sustaining procedures. 1. A competent adult may execute a declaration at any time directing that life-sustaining procedures be withheld or withdrawn. The declaration shall be given operative effect only if the declarant’s condition is determined to be terminal and the declarant is not able to make treatment decisions. 2. […]

Section 144A.4 – Revocation of declaration.

144A.4 Revocation of declaration. 1. A declaration may be revoked at any time and in any manner by which the declarant is able to communicate the declarant’s intent to revoke, without regard to mental or physical condition. A revocation is only effective as to the attending physician upon communication to such physician by the declarant […]

Section 144A.5 – Determination of terminal condition.

144A.5 Determination of terminal condition. When an attending physician who has been provided with a declaration determines that the declarant is in a terminal condition, this decision must be confirmed by another physician. The attending physician must record that determination in the declarant’s medical record. 85 Acts, ch 3, §6 Referred to in §144A.8

Section 144A.6 – Treatment of qualified patients.

144A.6 Treatment of qualified patients. 1. A qualified patient has the right to make decisions regarding use of life-sustaining procedures as long as the qualified patient is able to do so. If a qualified patient is not able to make such decisions, the declaration shall govern decisions regarding use of life-sustaining procedures. 2. The declaration […]

Section 144A.7 – Procedure in absence of declaration.

144A.7 Procedure in absence of declaration. 1. Life-sustaining procedures may be withheld or withdrawn from a patient who is in a terminal condition and who is comatose, incompetent, or otherwise physically or mentally incapable of communication and has not made a declaration in accordance with this chapter if there is consultation and written agreement for […]

Section 144A.7A – Out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate orders.

144A.7A Out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate orders. 1. If an attending physician issues an out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate order for an adult patient under this section, the physician shall use the form prescribed pursuant to subsection 2, include a copy of the order in the patient’s medical record, and provide a copy to the patient or an individual authorized to […]

Section 144A.8 – Transfer of patients.

144A.8 Transfer of patients. 1. An attending physician who is unwilling to comply with the requirements of section 144A.5, or who is unwilling to comply with the declaration of a qualified patient in accordance with section 144A.6 or an out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate order pursuant to section 144A.7A, or who is unwilling to comply with the provisions […]

Section 144A.9 – Immunities.

144A.9 Immunities. 1. In the absence of actual notice of the revocation of a declaration or of an out-of-hospital do-not-resuscitate order, the following, while acting in accordance with the requirements of this chapter, are not subject to civil or criminal liability or guilty of unprofessional conduct: a. A physician who causes the withholding or withdrawal […]