Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) Orders and Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) By Charles Sabatino, JD, American Bar Association Reviewed / Revised May 2021 | Modified Sep 2022 View Patient Education The do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order placed in a patient's medical record by a physician informs the medical staff that CPR should not be done in the event of cardiac arrest.