In medical terminology, full code means a patient has agreed to receive all available resuscitative measures if their heart stops beating or they stop breathing. A “code” refers to a cardiac or respiratory arrest, and the patient’s “code status” describes which interventions should be used if that happens.

For a full code patient, the care team will typically provide:

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with chest compressions
• Defibrillation or electrical cardioversion
• Emergency medications such as epinephrine
• Airway management, including intubation and mechanical ventilation

Full code is generally the default status in U.S. hospitals unless a valid order limits resuscitation. For a deeper look at what this means in practice, see our comprehensive guide to full code for healthcare staff.

Full code is easiest to understand when compared with the terms around it:

• DNR (Do Not Resuscitate): CPR will not be performed if the patient’s heart or breathing stops. Other treatments may still be provided.
• DNAR (Do Not Attempt Resuscitation): a variation of DNR that emphasizes resuscitation may not succeed.
• AND (Allow Natural Death): a term some organizations use to describe the same decision in a way that focuses on comfort and natural dying.
• DNI (Do Not Intubate): the patient should not be placed on a breathing tube or ventilator. A DNI order may be combined with a DNR or used on its own.
• Limited or partial code: the patient accepts some interventions but not others, for example medications but not intubation.
• Code blue: the hospital alert used to call the resuscitation team to a patient in cardiac or respiratory arrest.

Exact terms and definitions can vary by organization and state, so staff should always follow their facility’s policies.

Some informal phrases still come up in clinical conversations but are discouraged. A “slow code” describes a resuscitation attempt that is intentionally performed half-heartedly. It is widely considered unethical because it misleads patients and families and does not reflect a real, documented decision. A “chemical code” usually refers to giving resuscitation medications without compressions or intubation. Because these terms are vague and can be misinterpreted, most organizations prefer clear, specific orders that spell out which interventions the patient does and does not want.

The goal of precise terminology is simple: everyone on the care team should understand the plan the same way, especially in an emergency when there’s no time for clarification.

Code status should be clearly recorded in the medical record and visible to everyone caring for the patient. It’s typically confirmed on admission, reviewed when a patient’s condition changes or they transfer to a different unit, and reconciled at discharge. Many facilities also use wristbands or chart flags to communicate code status quickly.

Outside the hospital, portable medical orders such as POLST or MOLST forms communicate a patient’s wishes to emergency medical services and other facilities. Our article on the legal and ethical definition of full code status explains why accurate documentation matters so much, and our guide for frontline care teams covers the practical side at the bedside.

Code status also has a place in medical coding. ICD-10-CM includes Z66, Do not resuscitate, which can be reported when a DNR status is documented during the encounter. There is no separate diagnosis code for full code status, since it’s the default presumption.

Conversations about code status and other end-of-life preferences may support advance care planning codes, CPT 99497 for the first 30 minutes and 99498 for each additional 30 minutes, when documentation meets the time and content requirements. Accurate documentation of these discussions protects compliance and ensures the time clinicians spend on them is properly recognized. If you need help reviewing documentation or coding for these services, our medical billing services team can help.