Sky is right, a doctors signature is not required for a DNR. There are several ways to go about this. You have the write to submit a DNR directive to any and all of your care givers, and that does not require their approval or signature. You can download DNR forms online, I would make sure it was notorized as wel. That and more through instructions regarding your health care wishes can be done through legal documents via:

-Advanced Directive Living Will - a legal document making your wishes known to your doctors, what treatments you want or don't want. Laws regarding AD's vary among the states.

-Living Wills -a legal document

-Durable Power of Attorney -a legal document

-DNR - an order in your medical chart, by you, stating your wishes. These are accepted by doctors and hospitals in all states.

Legal documents can cover more specifically, a number of circumstances and what is to be done in case they arise, other things besides DNR's that many people don't think about. Advanced directives/Living Wills do not have to be complicated legal documents.

You can find these forms as well as the laws in your state from the U.S. Living Will Registry which is online.

I am a firm believer and advocate of such documents. We just had our Wills redone and all of these things were included as part of our wills.

Having such documents can greatly benefit not only you, but your family as well, should such a situation arise where they would be put in the position of making such decisions on your behalf.

I have also made my wishes known to all of my primary care givers who have documented them in my charts. It is also important to make your wishes known to your family as well.

In your particular situation with your Pdoc, I think the better thing to do would have been, at one of your appts. bring up the subject and explain why you would like to have such a document in your chart. You have every right to have a DNR in your chart, but you don't have to obtain it from the doctor or have him sign it. I think in this particular situation with your Pdoc, requesting such a form, via the phone through the office staff, would and should set off alarms. It would not be uncommon for a psychiatric patient who was considering or contemplating suicide to make such a request and without a consultation with your doctor first, I would hope the doctor would ask you to come in to discuss this so he can evaluate your current mental state. Regardless, after that, he can't prevent you from doing it, but at least he has been responsible, looking out for you immediate welfare.

I know you don't want this argument with your doctor to force you to change doctors and it sounds like you have had a good history with them. I think you should keep your appt and go in an apologize for the misunderstanding and ask him to let you explain exactly why you want to do this at this time and that you hadn't taken into consideration the concern that would cause regarding your present state of mind.

I would add that you do appreciate his concern about your well being and I would hope he would make the same gestures and apolgies to you as well. He is the professional and from what you say, it sounds like there were much better and calmer and professional ways he could have handled this whole situation. I think lack of communication on both of your parts, that led to the argument, can easily be resolved as long as your are open and honest about it.

If this is causing you a great deal of anxiety, you might consider calling to see if you can make an earlier appt so you can resolve this and feel better.

Best Wishes