A do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order primarily addresses which of the following ethical principles?

• A. Nonmaleficence
• B. Beneficence
• C. Autonomy
• D. Justice

Answer: (C)

Respecting the patient’s self-determination. A do-not-resuscitate order is a clear expression of a patient’s preferences about what medical interventions should or shouldn’t be used in a crisis, specifically CPR. It embodies autonomy by honoring the patient’s right to make decisions about their own body and future care, even when they cannot communicate at that moment. While clinicians also consider duties related to avoiding harm (nonmaleficence) and promoting well-being (beneficence), those duties describe how care should be provided, not who gets to decide what care is provided. Justice deals with fairness in the distribution of care and resources, which is not the central issue in a DNR. So the DNR primarily addresses autonomy.