cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Your client is in the special care area of your hospital with multiple trauma and severe bodily burns. This 45 year old male client has an advance directive that states that the client wants all life saving measures including cardiopulmonary resuscitation and advance cardiac life support, including mechanical ventilation. As you are caring for the client, the client has a complete cardiac and respiratory arrest. This client has little of no chance for survival and they are facing imminent death according to your professional judgement, knowledge of pathophysiology and your critical thinking. You believe that all life saving measures for this client would be futile. What is the first thing that you, as the nurse, should do?
- Call the doctor and advise them that the client’s physical status has significantly changed and that they have just had a cardiopulmonary arrest.
- Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation other emergency life saving measures.
- Notify the family of the client’s condition and ask them what they should be done for the client.
- Insure that the client is without any distressing signs and symptoms at the end of life.
