Question

You are called to the home of a 90-year-old male who is having trouble breathing and is confused. The friend who called said the patient has cancer and they think he is on hospice and has a DNR. The patient becomes apneic and loses his pulse. You should ____.

A. Provide limited resuscitation efforts until you contact family to determine his wishes.
B. start CPR
C. Call hospice and clarify the situation.
D. Assume he has a DNR order and do nothing.

Answer 1

Clarify the existence and validity of the DNR order and respect its directives if confirmed; otherwise, emergency resuscitation may be initiated.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the situation described, where a 90-year-old male who is possibly on hospice care with a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) becomes apneic and pulseless, the appropriate action is to clarify the existence and validity of the DNR order. If a verified DNR order exists, it should be respected. Without confirmation of a DNR, emergency resuscitation efforts typically would be initiated unless the circumstances strongly suggest otherwise. Given the possibility of a DNR and the patient being on hospice, seeking immediate clarification, likely through calling hospice or consulting with available family or documentation, would be the first step to ensure that the patient's wishes are honored.