Evolve HESI Practice Exam

If a nurse performs CPR on a client with a signed DNR, which legal issue could the nurse face?

1. Negligence

2. Assault

3. Battery

4. Fraud

The correct answer is: Battery

Performing CPR on a client who has a signed Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order can lead to the legal issue of battery. Battery is defined as the unauthorized touching or application of force against another person, which in this context pertains to the act of providing resuscitative measures when the patient had explicitly refused them through a DNR order. The presence of a DNR indicates the client's wishes to forego aggressive resuscitation efforts in the event of cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. By initiating CPR against the client's established wishes, the nurse would be performing an act that the patient has legally declined, thus resulting in potential legal action for battery due to the violation of the client's autonomy and consent. In contrast, negligence typically involves a failure to act according to the standard of care and would not apply in this situation since the nurse's action—performing CPR—could be seen as an effort to help but is nonetheless a violation of the patient's wishes. Assault involves the threat of harm or the fear of imminent harmful contact, which is not the primary concern when a DNR is present. Fraud would involve deceit or misrepresentation, which does not pertain to this scenario.