Ethical/legal issues in health care are assuming increasing significance but none is more dramatic than the medical/legal communities' concern over no code medical directives. "No codes" or orders not to resuscitate certain patients have important implications for directors of nursing. They must play an active role in establishing agency guidelines for resuscitation and help their nursing staff deal with the questions raised. This article explores five critical questions raised by the no code issue and addresses the resulting implications for nurses' responsibilities, liabilities, and standard of conduct.
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