ATI Professional Nursing Practice Exam 2026 - Free Nursing Practice Questions and Study Guide

To legally change a client's code status to do-not-resuscitate (DNR), a written prescription from the provider is required. This prescription serves as a formal and legal directive that indicates the client's wishes regarding resuscitation efforts in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. It reflects the physician's assessment and understanding of the client's medical condition, prognosis, and the appropriateness of resuscitation attempts given the client's wishes.

While signed documentation from the client may indicate their desire for a DNR status, it is the provider’s written order that carries legal weight in a clinical setting. Family support, although important in discussions about palliative care and end-of-life decisions, is not legally binding on its own. Admission to hospice care may entail discussions about code status but does not automatically authorize a DNR status without the specific provider's order. Therefore, the key element to establishing a DNR code status legally is the necessity of the physician’s written prescription.