A terminally ill patient who does not have an advance directive or do-not-resuscitate order in place stops breathing. What should the nurse do to assist this patient?
1. Call a code.
2. Initiate a slow code.
3. Contact the physician to assess the patient for death.
4. Contact the nursing supervisor.
Correct Answer: 1
Without an advance directive or do-not-resuscitate order, the nurse is legally responsible to call a code on the terminally ill patient who has stopped breathing. To initiate a slow code would be malpractice. The nurse needs to call a code, not call the physician or the nursing supervisor.
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