biostudies-literatureUnknown26(1)McErlean G<h4>Background</h4>In hospital, nurses are often the first to identify patients in cardiorespiratory arrest and must decide whether to call a CODE BLUE and commence cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In Australia, there are no legal or policy obligations to commence CPR when unequivocal signs of death are present. The use of CPR where it cannot provide any benefit to a patient raises profound questions about decision-making and ethical practice. The aim of this empirical ethics study was to describe hospital-based nurses' decision-making, perspectives, and experiences of initiating CPR in hospitalised patients who have unequivocal signs of death but lack a Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order.<h4>Methods</h4>The study was a multisite cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted between OctoberBMC medical ethics65https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12090638biostudies-literatureEthics, orthodoxies and defensive practice: a cross-sectional survey of nurse's decision-making surrounding CPR in deceased inpatients without Do Not Resuscitate orders.PMC12090638Bowdler SZanotti SHui HMontgomery ASkowronski GWatts MMerrick EKerridge IMaitland SPreisz ASheppard-Law STeus JKCordina JLight EStewart CLipworth WSheahan LMcErlean GfalseEthics, orthodoxies and defensive practice: a cross-sectional survey of nurse's decision-making surrounding CPR in deceased inpatients without Do Not Resuscitate orders.<h4>Background</h4>In hospital, nurses are often the first to identify patients in cardiorespiratory arrest and must decide whether to call a CODE BLUE and commence cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In Australia, there are no legal or policy obligations to commence CPR when unequivocal signs of death are present. The use of CPR where it cannot provide any benefit to a patient raises profound questions about decision-making and ethical practice. The aim of this empirical ethics study was to describe hospital-based nurses' decision-making, perspectives, and experiences of initiating CPR in hospitalised patients who have unequivocal signs of death but lack a Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order.<h4>Methods</h4>The study was a multisite cross-sectional descriptive survey conducted between October2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 May2026-05-29T14:34:53.406Z2026-04-08T05:07:16.402ZS-EPMC120906384039451310.1186/s12910-025-01224-2