A 67-year-old male in cardiac arrest has a Do Not Resuscitate order presented by the spouse. What should you do?

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Multiple Choice

A 67-year-old male in cardiac arrest has a Do Not Resuscitate order presented by the spouse. What should you do?

A Do Not Resuscitate order is a binding directive that tells you not to perform CPR or other life‑sustaining measures in the event of cardiac arrest. When a valid DNR is presented in the field, the responder is obligated to honor it and immediately cease resuscitation. In this scenario, the spouse’s presentation of a current DNR means you should stop CPR, verify the order’s validity per local protocol, and document the action. If there’s any question about the order’s validity, you should contact medical control before acting. After initiating the stop, you can explain to the family what the DNR means and what will occur next, but the priority is to respect the patient’s wishes as expressed in the DNR.

A Do Not Resuscitate order is a binding directive that tells you not to perform CPR or other life‑sustaining measures in the event of cardiac arrest. When a valid DNR is presented in the field, the responder is obligated to honor it and immediately cease resuscitation. In this scenario, the spouse’s presentation of a current DNR means you should stop CPR, verify the order’s validity per local protocol, and document the action. If there’s any question about the order’s validity, you should contact medical control before acting. After initiating the stop, you can explain to the family what the DNR means and what will occur next, but the priority is to respect the patient’s wishes as expressed in the DNR.

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