Which situations justify withholding CPR?

Which situations justify withholding CPR?

• A. When CPR Is Judged To Be Of No Medical Benefit
• B. When Patient With Intact Decision-Making Capacity Declines CPR
• C. Living Wills/Proxies/Surrogate Decision Maker
• D. All Of The Above

Answer: (D)

The situation tests the idea that withholding CPR can be appropriate when it aligns with patient goals, medical reality, and legally recognized directives. CPR can be withheld if it’s judged to be of no meaningful medical benefit (futility); if a patient who has decision-making capacity declines CPR, their autonomous choice must be respected; and if there is an advance directive, living will, or a surrogate decision-maker indicating the patient’s wishes or best interests, those documents guide the decision to withhold resuscitation. Taken together, these scenarios show why all of the above are valid reasons to forgo CPR: one focuses on the likely outcome, another on patient autonomy, and the last on documented preferences and surrogate guidance.

The situation tests the idea that withholding CPR can be appropriate when it aligns with patient goals, medical reality, and legally recognized directives. CPR can be withheld if it’s judged to be of no meaningful medical benefit (futility); if a patient who has decision-making capacity declines CPR, their autonomous choice must be respected; and if there is an advance directive, living will, or a surrogate decision-maker indicating the patient’s wishes or best interests, those documents guide the decision to withhold resuscitation. Taken together, these scenarios show why all of the above are valid reasons to forgo CPR: one focuses on the likely outcome, another on patient autonomy, and the last on documented preferences and surrogate guidance.