Do Not Resuscitate Form in Yukon: Resuscitation and Care Form Explained

A terminally ill patient in Whitehorse has made it clear they do not want CPR if their heart stops. Their family understands. Their doctor agrees. But without the right paperwork in the right format, paramedics who arrive at the door are legally obligated to attempt resuscitation regardless of what anyone says. The document that prevents this in the Yukon is the Resuscitation and Care Form — and it works differently from both an Advance Directive and a generic "DNR."

What the Resuscitation and Care Form Does

The Resuscitation and Care Form is a clinical order specific to the Yukon. It tells emergency medical services that the individual has refused cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and specifies their wishes regarding other life-prolonging measures.

This form is not the same as an Advance Directive. Key differences:

• No proxy appointment: The Resuscitation and Care Form does not name a substitute decision-maker. It only records treatment preferences about resuscitation.
• Clinical focus: It is designed to be read quickly by paramedics and emergency room staff — not to guide long-term healthcare planning.
• Physical presentation matters: Emergency responders need to see the actual form. A verbal statement from a family member that "Dad didn't want CPR" does not carry the same legal weight as the physical document.

Why This Form Exists Alongside the Advance Directive

An Advance Directive is a comprehensive document that covers medical consent, proxy appointment, and care preferences. But in an emergency — when seconds matter — paramedics do not have time to read through a multi-page directive looking for the relevant clause.

The Resuscitation and Care Form serves as a rapid-access clinical order. It sits on top of the bedside table, is clipped to the fridge, or travels with the patient. When paramedics arrive and see it, they have immediate confirmation of the patient's resuscitation wishes.

For people with clear end-of-life preferences, the two documents work as a pair: the Advance Directive provides comprehensive planning, and the Resuscitation and Care Form provides the emergency-specific shortcut.

The Planned Home Death Protocol

The Resuscitation and Care Form becomes critical when a terminally ill patient wishes to die at home. Yukon's protocol for planned home deaths requires precise coordination, and the form is the centrepiece.

If a planned death occurs at home, families must NOT call 911 or emergency medical services. Paramedics are legally obligated to perform life-saving measures unless the physical Resuscitation and Care Form is immediately presented. Calling an ambulance triggers a resuscitation attempt that contradicts the patient's documented wishes.

Instead, the family should:

1. Call the primary physician or home care nurse — they can confirm the death and initiate paperwork
2. Contact the funeral home directly — they will arrange transport
3. Take as much time as you need — Yukon does not require a physician or nurse to formally pronounce death immediately, so families can spend time with their loved one before the funeral provider arrives

This protocol is rarely explained in public materials, and families who are unaware of it often call 911 out of instinct — triggering exactly the intervention the patient wanted to avoid.

How to Get the Form

The Resuscitation and Care Form is available through your physician or the Yukon government's Health and Social Services department. It is typically completed during a conversation with your healthcare provider about end-of-life care goals, particularly after a terminal diagnosis.

Unlike an Advance Directive, which you can prepare independently, the Resuscitation and Care Form is usually initiated through the clinical care team. Your doctor discusses your resuscitation preferences, completes the form with your input, and ensures it is placed where emergency responders can find it.

Coordinating Your Documents

If you have both an Advance Directive and a Resuscitation and Care Form, make sure they do not contradict each other. Your Advance Directive might say you refuse CPR under certain conditions — the Resuscitation and Care Form should reflect the same position.

Distribute the Resuscitation and Care Form separately from your Advance Directive. It should be immediately visible: on the fridge, on the bedside table, in a clearly marked folder by the front door. The point is speed — it needs to be found in the first 30 seconds of a medical response.

For a complete planned home death preparation checklist, emergency contacts fridge sheet, and step-by-step coordination guide between your Advance Directive and Resuscitation and Care Form, the Yukon Advance Directive & Living Will Kit includes dedicated protocols for this scenario.

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