Final answer:
Nurses honor a client's end-of-life care wishes by following the wishes specified in their advance directives or DNR orders, ensuring that the care provided aligns with the patient's expressed preferences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nurses play a crucial role in implementing a client's treatment and end-of-life care wishes, especially when honoring a patient's preference for no resuscitation, even in the absence of a physician's written Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order. This practice is guided by legal documentation and ethical considerations. Terminally ill patients often create advance directives or living wills that explicitly outline their desires regarding medical interventions, including the preference for or against resuscitation.
These legal documents serve as a clear guide for healthcare professionals, ensuring that care aligns with the patient's expressed wishes. It is essential for nurses to comprehend the roles of living wills, DNR orders, and healthcare proxies in delivering compassionate, patient-centered, and legally compliant end-of-life care. This understanding empowers nurses to advocate for and uphold the dignity and autonomy of patients in their final stages of life.