Question

You respond to a call for a cardiac arrest and you are presented with an expired DNR. You and your partner elect to attempt resuscitation due to the DNR being expired but your partner is NOT convinced this is the right thing to do. After the​ call, you and your partner are debating if you did the right thing. Your partner states that above all else we should side with what the patient wanted and not provided resuscitation. Deciding to resuscitate the patient​ was:

A.
ethically the wrong thing to do.
B.
morally and ethically the wrong thing to do.
C.
clinically the wrong thing to do.
D.
the right thing to do.

Answer 1

Deciding to resuscitate the patient was the right thing to do because the DNR was expired, indicating that the patient's preferences might have changed or they hadn't renewed it.

Step-by-step explanation:

When faced with a situation involving a expired Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, the decision to attempt resuscitation can be ethically and morally challenging. However, in this case, deciding to resuscitate the patient was the right thing to do.

The DNR order is a legal document that provides instructions on whether medical personnel should attempt resuscitation or not. Since the DNR in this situation was expired, it might suggest that the patient's preferences might have changed or they had not had the opportunity to renew it.

Ultimately, when presented with an expired DNR order, medical professionals should prioritize the patient's current wishes and do everything possible to save their life.