Final answer:
When a patient has a DNR/DNI order, healthcare professionals should still refer to the patient's health care proxy for decisions outside the scope of resuscitation and intubation, as the proxy is legally empowered to make health decisions on the patient's behalf.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a patient is DNR/DNI, which means Do Not Resuscitate/Do Not Intubate, healthcare professionals should still refer to a health care proxy if one has been designated. A health care proxy is a legal document that appoints a specific person to make medical decisions on behalf of a patient when they are unable to speak for themselves. This is important in scenarios where decision-making extends beyond the scope of the DNR/DNI order, which specifically addresses resuscitation and intubation. Should any other medical decisions need to be made, the healthcare team would turn to the health care proxy to understand the patient's wishes and values as they relate to their ongoing care and treatment plans.