A nurse is caring for a client who has gone into cardiac arrest. The client's chart indicates refusal of life-sustaining measures in a living will signed 10 years ago, but a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) prescription has not been written by the provider. Which of the following actions by the nurse is appropriate?
Contact the provider for instructions regarding a DNR.
Consult with the client's family regarding resuscitation efforts.
Comply with the living will and let the client expire naturally.
Call a code because a DNR prescription has not been written.
The Correct Answer is D
A. Contacting the provider for instructions could delay immediate resuscitative efforts, which are required in the absence of a DNR order.
B. Consulting with the client’s family may not be effective in an emergency, as the living will is a legal document, and family members cannot override it without a DNR order.
C. Complying with the living will and letting the client expire naturally would be inappropriate without a formal DNR order in place.
D. Calling a code is the correct action because, legally, resuscitative efforts must be initiated in the absence of a written DNR order from the provider, despite the existence of a living will.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Reviewing evidence-based literature is essential to understand best practices in shift reporting and can inform the development of effective interventions. This foundational step helps ensure that any proposed changes are supported by research and proven methods.
B. While organizing a task force can be beneficial, it should occur after understanding the current best practices, as the task force's efforts would be better guided with existing evidence.
C. Creating a new reporting process without first gathering information or reviewing best practices may result in ineffective or unnecessary changes.
D. Developing a strategy to alert nurses is important, but it should be based on informed decisions derived from literature and data analysis, which should come first.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Reporting the incident to the manager of the pharmacy is the appropriate action to ensure that the medication error is addressed and investigated properly, as this can help prevent future occurrences.
B. Incident reports should not be placed in the client's medical record, as they are separate documents meant for internal review and quality improvement.
C. Documenting the doubled dose in the client's medical record does not fulfill the legal requirements for reporting medication errors and could mislead future care providers about the medication administration history.
D. Contacting the nurse from the previous shift may be necessary for understanding the situation, but the priority is to report the incident properly to ensure patient safety.
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