You respond to the residence of a 68-year-old man with terminal cancer. As you begin your assessment, the patient's wife tells you that he has an out-of-hospital do not resuscitate order, and hands you a document that appears to be valid. The patient, who is clearly emaciated, is conscious but is in severe pain. Your MOST appropriate action should be to:

Question

A) advise the wife that the do not resuscitate order prohibits you from rendering any prehospital care.
B) recall that do not resuscitate orders are invalid in the prehospital setting and be prepared to provide full ACLS.
C) provide supportive care, administer narcotic analgesia as indicated, and transport the patient to the hospital.
D) accept the stipulations of the do not resuscitate order, obtain a signed refusal from the wife, and return to service.

Answer 1

Ans: C) provide supportive care, administer narcotic analgesia as indicated, and transport the patient to the hospital.