Which of the following statements made by a nurse reflects the best understanding of the legal safeguards of a DNR (do not resuscitate) order?

Question

1. "All family members need to agree before a DNR order can be written."
2. "All terminally ill clients are ultimately required to be declared a DNR status."
3. "The DNR order on the terminally ill client in Room 45 needs reviewed today."
4. "If the client's family can't be located, the physician will write the DNR order."

Answer 1

ANS: 3
DNR orders are not necessarily maintained throughout the client's stay because a client's condi-tion may warrant a change in DNR status. To ensure client safety, the attending physician must review the DNR orders every 3 days for hospitalized clients or every 60 days for clients in resi-dential health facilities. If there is no living will or durable power of attorney appointed, members of the family will be consulted regarding a DNR order. Although not all family members need to agree, an order will usually not be written if some family members express strong opposition to the status change. If no family can be located, the attending physician has the legal right to write the order. There is no legal requirement for a terminally ill client to be required to assume DNR status.