Bill
SB 252
Connecticut bill would permit physician assistants to independently issue Do Not Resuscitate orders, expanding end-of-life medical decision-making authority beyond physicians.
SB 252 would expand the authority of physician assistants (PAs) in Connecticut to independently issue Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders—medical directives that prevent emergency resuscitation efforts if a patient's heart stops or breathing ceases. Currently, only physicians can issue such orders. The bill grants PAs this decision-making power, likely with specified conditions and patient consent requirements.
DNR orders are critical end-of-life care documents that directly affect medical treatment during emergencies. Expanding who can issue them could improve access to this service in underserved areas and reduce physician bottlenecks in healthcare settings. However, since DNR orders have irreversible consequences and reflect fundamental life-or-death medical judgments, the scope of PA authority and oversight mechanisms are substantively important to patient safety and autonomy.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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