An 89-year-old nursing home patient is experiencing difficulty breathing. The patient has a living will that specifies no intubation but allows other life-sustaining measures. What is appropriate care?
- Respect the living will completely and provide only comfort care measures
- Provide oxygen, positioning, and other supportive care while honoring the no-intubation directive (correct answer)
- Contact medical control to override the living will in this emergency situation
- Ignore the living will since EMTs cannot perform intubation anyway
Explanation: A living will that specifies no intubation but allows other life-sustaining measures means the EMT can provide oxygen, proper positioning, medication assistance, and other supportive care while respecting the intubation limitation. Choice A provides inadequate care when other measures are permitted. Choice C is inappropriate as living wills should be respected. Choice D misunderstands the importance of advance directives.