AEMCA Practice Exam

In the case of a patient with a DNR, which of the following palliative care treatments can paramedics administer?

1. Adrenaline

2. Analgesics

3. Suctioning

4. Cardiac monitoring

The correct answer is: Suctioning

When dealing with a patient who has a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order, it's crucial for healthcare providers to understand the limitations and permissible interventions allowed in palliative care. The focus in such situations is to provide comfort and manage the patient’s symptoms rather than to initiate life-saving procedures. Suctioning is a palliative care intervention that can be performed even in the presence of a DNR order. This treatment is aimed at easing suffering by clearing secretions from the airway, thereby improving the patient's comfort. It does not involve any life-sustaining measures but is instead a management strategy to alleviate distressing symptoms, which aligns with the principles of palliative care. In contrast, interventions like administering adrenaline are classified as resuscitative measures, which are typically not allowed under a DNR. Analgesics, while essential for pain management, must be administered with caution to not hasten death, raising ethical considerations within a DNR context. Cardiac monitoring does not directly contribute to the patient's comfort and focuses more on diagnostic information rather than therapeutic relief. Therefore, suctioning is the appropriate and permissible action under palliative care guidelines when managing a patient who has a DNR order, as it prioritizes the comfort of the patient without attempting