A client with an advanced-stage terminal illness is admitted to the hospital. The client has a completed advance directive indicating a preference for comfort-focused interventions and a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ (DNR) order. During rounds, a family member requests life-prolonging interventions, including resuscitation attempts, if the client’s condition deteriorates. What is the best nursing action in this situation?
Review the client’s advance directive with the family member and explain that the care plan aligns with the client’s documented wishes.
Ask the family member to leave the room before making decisions about the client’s treatment plan.
Discuss the request for life-prolonging measures with the healthcare provider and delay addressing the family’s concerns.
Follow the family member’s request for interventions aimed at prolonging life if the client’s condition worsens.
The correct answer is to honor the client’s advance directive and discuss it with the family member. Advance directives are legal documents that reflect the client’s wishes. Respecting these preferences is paramount in providing ethically sound care. The nurse should use therapeutic communication to educate the family member about the client’s documented choices, ensuring they understand the significance of those decisions. Other options fail to prioritize the client’s autonomy: implementing life-prolonging interventions without consent violates legal and ethical principles, and referring the issue to the healthcare provider without addressing the family’s concerns fails to demonstrate patient advocacy or nurse-patient-family collaboration.
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