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Legal and Documentation Considerations in End-of-Life Care

  • Legal and documentation considerations in end-of-life care involve following the legal requirements and standards or documenting and reporting the patient's status, care plan, interventions, outcomes, and death in a timely and accurate manner.

  • Legal and documentation considerations in end-of-life care include:

    • obtaining informed consent from the patient or surrogate decision-maker for any medical treatments or procedures that are offered or performed;

    • documenting any advance directives or code status orders that are established or revised;

    • recording any changes in the patient's condition or goals of care;

    • any ethical or legal issues or conflicts that arise;

    • reporting any adverse events or errors that occur; completing any required forms or certificates for pronouncing or certifying death;

    • and ensuring proper identification and handling of the body.

Questions on Legal and Documentation Considerations in End-of-Life Care

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

<p>Educate the client and the family about the signs and symptoms of impending death. - This is an important action, but not the priority in this situation. The nurse should educate the client and the family about what to expect as death approaches, such as changes in breathing, circulation, consciousness, and skin color, but this should be done after reviewing the advance directives and code status with the family.</p>

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

<p>The best response by the nurse is to inform the spouse that they cannot give any ice chips or water to the client, as this would constitute artificial hydration and nutrition, which is against the client&#39;s living will. However, the nurse should also offer an alternative way of providing comfort to the client, such as using a moist sponge or swab to gently clean their mouth. This would help to relieve dryness and prevent cracking of the lips and tongue.</p>

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

<p>Ignore the DNR order and initiate resuscitation measures if the client experiences cardiac or respiratory arrest, as the order is invalid. - This is an inappropriate action, as it would violate the client&#39;s rights and wishes. The nurse should not ignore the DNR order, as it is a valid and legal document that indicates the client&#39;s choice regarding resuscitation measures. The nurse should respect the DNR order and confirm it with the client.</p>

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

<p>Suggest the spouse to contact a lawyer to revoke the DNR order. - This is an incorrect action, as it does not respect the client&#39;s autonomy or involve them in the decision-making process. The spouse does not need a lawyer to revoke the DNR order, as long as the client is competent and able to communicate.</p>

<p>The nurse should refer the client to a hospice program that can provide them with palliative care at home, as this aligns with their wish to die at home and their advance directive that states they do not want any life-sustaining treatments. Hospice care focuses on improving the quality of life a

<p>Notify the client&#39;s family members of the incident. - This is an incorrect action, as it does not address the issue or prevent further harm. The nurse should not disclose any information about the client&#39;s care or treatment to anyone who is not authorized to receive it, unless there is a

<p>&quot;I appreciate your honesty, but I cannot help you with that. It is against my moral and religious beliefs to assist you in ending your life.&quot; - This is an incorrect response, as it does not show empathy or compassion for the client&#39;s situation. The nurse should not use moral or reli
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