A nurse is providing care to a client who states, "I have a DNI status.”. Which of the following interventions should the nurse be prepared to administer to the client?

Choice A rationale A DNI or Do Not Intubate status specifically prohibits the insertion of an endotracheal tube or the use of mechanical ventilation to support breathing. While defibrillation might be part of an advanced cardiac life support protocol, the inclusion of a breathing tube in this option makes it incorrect for a client with this specific legal order. The nurse must respect the client's autonomy regarding invasive airway management while still providing other life-sustaining measures if requested. Choice B rationale A DNI order is narrow and only excludes intubation. It does not automatically exclude other resuscitative efforts like chest compressions or the administration of emergency medications like epinephrine or amiodarone. Unless the client also has a DNR or Do Not Resuscitate order, the medical team is expected to perform high-quality chest compressions and use pharmacological interventions to attempt to restore a cardiac rhythm. This distinction is critical in honoring the specific end-of-life preferences of the patient. Choice C rationale Ventilation with a mechanical ventilator requires the placement of an artificial airway, which is exactly what a DNI status refuses. Combining this with chest compressions would violate the client's expressed medical directives. Nurses must ensure the medical record clearly distinguishes between DNR and DNI because a client might be willing to undergo external resuscitation efforts but unwilling to be placed on long-term life support via a ventilator, which often follows a successful intubation during a crisis. Choice D rationale This option is incorrect because it includes the insertion of a breathing tube. A client who has stated they have a DNI status has explicitly declined this procedure. Chest compressions are generally still performed unless a DNR is also present, but the airway must be managed through non-invasive means such as a bag-valve-mask with 100 percent oxygen. The nurse's role is to advocate for these boundaries during an emergency code to ensure the client's wishes are upheld. Choice E rationale Basic CPR usually involves a combination of compressions and rescue breaths. While it avoids intubation, the term basic often implies a lack of advanced medications or defibrillation that might still be desired by a client who is only DNI. This choice is less precise than Choice B because it does not account for the full range of advanced life support measures that remain permissible and expected when a patient refuses only the intubation component of a resuscitation.