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DNACPR communication — SCE Acute Medicine MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

HardPerioperative, Safety and End-of-Life CareDNACPR communicationSCE Acute Medicine

A 34-year-old woman presents with postoperative deterioration, treatment refusal or advanced illness. Relevant history includes recent surgery, frailty or a governance issue. On assessment, physiology and communication context require senior decision-making. Investigations show capacitous patient with metastatic cancer asks about resuscitation. What would you advise this patient?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: A — Explain CPR likelihood and burdens, then make a shared DNACPR decision if appropriate

The key discriminator is that capacitous patient with metastatic cancer asks about resuscitation, which makes Explain CPR likelihood and burdens, then make a shared DNACPR decision if appropriate the single best answer. Discuss risks and benefits of imaging in pregnancy is less appropriate because it does not address the dominant acute risk in the vignette; Explain CPR likelihood and make a shared DNACPR decision would fit a different presentation or later stage of care. Discuss escalation limits and focus on comfort alongside active care and Explain the need for urgent treatment despite uncertainty are suboptimal because they would either delay time-critical treatment or follow the wrong acute pathway. Teaching point: SCE-style acute medicine questions usually test prioritisation using physiology, timing and a guideline-defined threshold, rather than isolated factual recall.

Reference: GMC end-of-life guidance; Resuscitation Council UK DNACPR guidance