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Critical Care Nurses' Perceptions of DNR Status
Author(s) -
ThibaultPrevost Jocelyne,
Jensen Louise A.,
Hodgins Marilyn
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of nursing scholarship
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1547-5069
pISSN - 1527-6546
DOI - 10.1111/j.1547-5069.2000.00259.x
Subject(s) - do not resuscitate , nursing , documentation , medicine , critical care nursing , perception , family medicine , psychology , health care , neuroscience , computer science , economics , programming language , economic growth
Purpose: To describe the perceptions of nurses regarding do‐not‐resuscitate (DNR) decisions in critical care settings. Design: A survey assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning DNR status was distributed to all critical care nurses who were registered with the provincial licensing body in Alberta, Canada, and held positions of staff nurse, educator, or manager. Methods: Four hundred and five surveys were completed and returned. Descriptive analyses were conducted. Findings: The term “DNR” was found to be ambiguous. The rationale for DNR orders were also not well articulated in practice. Although nurses believed that patients, families, and nurses should participate in DNR decisions, physicians were most often cited as being responsible for the decision. Conclusions: Documentation of a comprehensive patient treatment plan and awareness of the rationale for DNR designation are strategies suggested to help achieve desired patient care goals in critical care settings.