Which DOA criterion addresses inability to perform resuscitation due to access issues?

• A. Decapitation
• B. Inaccessible for resuscitation attempts
• C. Lividity
• D. Decomposition

Answer: (B)

Understanding DOA criteria includes recognizing when you cannot perform resuscitation because you can’t access the patient safely. Inaccessible for resuscitation attempts directly describes a situation where a meaningful resuscitation can't be carried out due to location or safety constraints, such as a patient trapped or in a hazardous environment. That situational barrier is what this criterion is about, making it the best match for the idea of not being able to resuscitate.

The other signs—decapitation, lividity, and decomposition—indicate death has already occurred and would lead to a DOA determination based on irreversible changes, not on an inability to access the patient.