During a cardiac arrest, if a DNR order is suspected but proof is not immediately available, what is the recommended action?

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Multiple Choice

During a cardiac arrest, if a DNR order is suspected but proof is not immediately available, what is the recommended action?

When there’s no verifiable DNR in hand, the default is to provide life-saving care and not to withhold treatment. In a cardiac arrest, you start or continue CPR because the patient’s wishes regarding resuscitation must be verified before you can honor any DNR. So the recommended action is to keep performing CPR while you actively seek proof of a valid DNR. Look for documentation such as a DNR order, a POLST/MOLST form, or a medical alert bracelet; contact family, caregivers, or hospital staff who can confirm the patient’s directives; and if allowed by local protocols, reach out to medical control for guidance. If definitive proof of a valid DNR is found, you can stop resuscitation in accordance with that order. If proof remains unavailable or unclear, you continue CPR to maximize the patient’s chances of survival. This approach protects the patient’s life while ensuring autonomy is respected once credible documentation is obtained.

When there’s no verifiable DNR in hand, the default is to provide life-saving care and not to withhold treatment. In a cardiac arrest, you start or continue CPR because the patient’s wishes regarding resuscitation must be verified before you can honor any DNR.

So the recommended action is to keep performing CPR while you actively seek proof of a valid DNR. Look for documentation such as a DNR order, a POLST/MOLST form, or a medical alert bracelet; contact family, caregivers, or hospital staff who can confirm the patient’s directives; and if allowed by local protocols, reach out to medical control for guidance. If definitive proof of a valid DNR is found, you can stop resuscitation in accordance with that order. If proof remains unavailable or unclear, you continue CPR to maximize the patient’s chances of survival.

This approach protects the patient’s life while ensuring autonomy is respected once credible documentation is obtained.

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