Taiwanese Parents' Experience of Making a "Do Not Resuscitate" Decision for Their Child in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to explore the parental experience of making a "do not resuscitate" (DNR) decision for their child who is or was cared for in a pediatric intensive care unit in Taiwan. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted following parental signing of a standard hospital DNR form on behalf of their critically ill child. Sixteen Taiwanese parents of 11 children aged 1 month to 18 years were interviewed. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, analyzed and sorted into themes by the sole interviewer plus other researchers. RESULTS: Three major themes were identified: (a) "convincing points to sign", (b) "feelings immediately after signing", and (c) "postsigning relief or regret". Feelings following signing the DNR form were mixed and included "frustration", "guilt", and "conflicting hope". Parents adjusted their attitudes to thoughts such as "I have done my best," and "the child's life is beyond my control." Some parents whose child had died before the time of the interview expressed among other things "regret not having enough time to be with and talk to my child". CONCLUSION: Open family visiting hours plus staff sensitivity and communication skills training are needed. To help parents with this difficult signing process, nurses and other professionals in the pediatric intensive care unit need education on initiating the conversation, guiding the parents in expressing their fears, and providing continuing support to parents and children throughout the child's end of life process.

Encuesta sobre las actitudes médicas ante un caso hipotético de encefalopatía post-reanimación / Survey of medical attitudes towards a "case scenario" of encephalopathy after cardiac arrest

Estudios recientes muestran que el momento de la muerte está a menudo bajo el control de los médicos que cuidan pacientes en una unidad de cuidados intensivos (UCI), donde la muerte suele estar precedida por decisiones de no comenzar una terapéutica agresiva o discontinuar una terapia para sostener la vida. El objetivo fue estudiar las actitudes de los cardiólogos en las decisiones médicas al final de la vida de pacientes terminales en UCI. Durante 2007 se realizó una encuesta vía correo electrónico a 967 cardiólogos de la Argentina. Se planteó el caso hipotético de una paciente en coma vegetativo y sin familiares para participar en una serie de decisiones al final de la vida. El 72.7% respondió el cuestionario; el 72.0% prefirió compartir las decisiones con colegas o un comité de bioética, aunque sólo el 6% dio participación al personal de enfermería; además, el 85.4% optaría por la orden "No Resucitar" (NR) y el 8% elegiría el "destete o extubación terminal". Estos resultados se asemejaron a los encontrados en estudios previos en Europa meridional. En conclusión, el análisis de las actitudes de los cardiólogos mostró una tendencia a compartir con colegas o un comité de bioética las decisiones sobre el final de la vida, así como a aplicar la orden NR y a no elegir el "destete terminal", con diferencias según el sexo y actividad laboral. La variabilidad de las opiniones locales e internacionales en las encuestas, hace difícil alcanzar un consenso sobre el tratamiento al final de la vida.

Recent studies have shown that the timing of death is often under the control of the physicians who treat the patient in intensive care unit (ICU), where death is commonly preceded by decisions either not to start an aggressive therapy or to discontinue life-sustaining therapy. The objective was to study end-of-life decisions and attitudes of Argentinian cardiologists when treating terminal patients in the ICU. During 2007, a survey by e-mail was carried out among 967 cardiologists across Argentina. The questionnaire consisted of the case scenario of a vegetative patient with no family and no advance directives, so the responsibility for decision making would depend exclusively on the physician or health care team. 72.7% answered the survey; 72.0% of physicians preferred to share decisions with other doctors or with an ethical committee, nevertheless they rarely involved nurses in decisions. Besides, 85.4% of cardiologists would apply the do-not-resuscitate order and 8% would choise the terminal weaning or extubation. Comparatively, these results were similar to those previously reported in Southern Europe. In conclusion, most physicians would decide with other doctors or would ask for an ethical consultant; in the same way, most of respondents would apply the do-not-resuscitate order, though a few times they would choise the terminal weaning or extubation. Since regional and international survey opinions on these issues remain highly variable, it seems difficult to reach a global consensus regarding end-of-life care in the ICU.

Hospital Nurses' Experience of Do-Not-Resuscitate in Korea / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) among nurses. METHODS: Data were collected by in-depth interviews with 8 nurses in 8 different hospitals. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Eight major themes emerged from the analysis: DNR decision-making bypassing the patient, inefficiency in the decision-making process of DNR, negative connotation of DNR, predominance of verbal DNR over written DNR, doubts and confusion about DNR, least amount of intervention in the decision for DNR change of focus in the care of the patient after a DNR order, and care burden of patients with DNR. Decision-making of DNR occurred between physicians and family members, not the patients themselves. Often high medical expenses were involved in choosing DNR, thus if choosing DNR it was implied the family members and health professionals as well did not try their best to help the patient. Verbal DNR permission was more popular in clinical settings. Most nurses felt guilty and depressed about the dying/death of patients with DNR. CONCLUSION: Clearer guidelines on DNR, which reflect a family-oriented culture, need to be established to reduce confusion and to promote involvement in the decision-making process of DNR among nurses.