A nurse enters a patient's room and finds the patient pulseless. The family has requested a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order from the provider, but it has not been ordered yet. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Call the provider for a stat DNR order.
Seek immediate help from the risk manager.
Respect the family's wishes and do nothing.
Call the operator and initiate a code blue.
The Correct Answer is D
Resuscitation protocols are governed by legal status rather than verbal intent. In the absence of a signed physician order, the patient is presumed to be full-code, necessitating immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation to maintain systemic perfusion and adhere to institutional liability and ethical standards regarding the duty to provide care.
Rationale:
A. Calling for a stat DNR order during a pulseless event is clinically inappropriate and delays life-saving care. A DNR order must be established through informed consent prior to a cardiac arrest to be legally binding. One cannot obtain a post-arrest order to justify inaction.
B. Consulting a risk manager is an administrative action that is not indicated during an active medical emergency. Legal and ethical concerns regarding autonomy are addressed before or after the event, but the immediate clinical priority is the resuscitation of the unresponsive patient. This action wastes critical time.
C. Respecting a family's verbal request without a formal order is a violation of standard nursing practice. Doing nothing constitutes negligence if a valid DNR order is not physically present in the medical record. The nurse must prioritize the existing legal requirement to preserve life.
D. Initiating a code blue is the mandatory standard response for any patient found without a pulse who lacks a formal DNR order. This action ensures the rapid arrival of the resuscitation team to perform advanced life support. It protects the nurse and facility from potential legal repercussions.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Epidemiological surveillance defines an epidemic by the statistical deviation from established baseline data. This phenomenon involves a rapid acceleration of disease transmission within a specific geographic cluster, where the observed frequency of illness significantly exceeds the documented endemic threshold for that population and period.
Rationale:
A. A disease that spreads worldwide across multiple continents is classified as a pandemic. While an epidemic is a localized or regional outbreak, the pandemic designation requires global scale and extensive community transmission. This choice describes an extreme level of disease prevalence.
B. An epidemic occurs when the incidence of a health-related event is clearly in excess of normal expectancy. Identifying this rise requires a comparison to historical data within a defined geographical area. It represents a significant shift in the ecological balance between host and pathogen.
C. A disease present at a steady, predictable rate within a specific community is considered endemic. This indicates that the pathogen is permanently established in the area without causing unexpected surges in morbidity. It is the baseline state, not an epidemic.
D. Isolated cases that occur infrequently and without a recognizable temporal or geographic pattern are described as sporadic. These instances do not represent a coordinated cluster of infection and lack the transmission velocity required to be labeled an epidemic. They are disconnected events.
Correct Answer is ["4"]
Explanation
Step 1: Identify formula
mcg/min = (mL/hr × concentration in mg/mL × 1000 mcg/mg) ÷ 60
Step 2: Find concentration per mL
= 4 mg ÷ 250 mL
= 0.016 mg/mL
Step 3: Insert values
= (15 × 0.016 × 1000) ÷ 60
Step 4: Calculate
= (240) ÷ 60
= 4
Step 5: Final answer
= 4 mcg/min
Final Answer: 4
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