A nurse is admitting a client who is scheduled for an elective surgery. Which of the following actions should the nurse take to verify the status of the client's advance directives?

A. Ask the client whether they have advance directives: Upon admission, the nurse is responsible for determining whether the client has completed any advance directives, such as a living will or durable power of attorney for health care. Directly asking the client ensures accurate, up-to-date information and respects client autonomy. B. Refer to the client's identification card for their advance directives status: An identification card may indicate the existence of an advance directive, but it does not confirm current validity or specific wishes. Relying solely on an ID card does not ensure that documentation is available or accurately reflects the client’s present decisions. C. Verify the client's advance directives with their health care surrogate: Contacting the health care surrogate is not the first step if the client is competent and able to communicate. The client remains the primary decision-maker unless deemed incapacitated. Verification with a surrogate is appropriate only when the client cannot provide information. D. Check for a written do-not-resuscitate prescription in the client's medical record: A do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order is only one type of directive and may not reflect the presence of a broader advance directive. Additionally, a DNR must be written as a provider order and may not exist at admission even if the client has other advance directives in place.