Nurses’ Perception on “Do Not Attempt Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation” Decision Making

Abstract

Background: “Do Not Attempt Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation” (DNACPR) is a difficult and challenging area for many healthcare workers. Nurses are frontline healthcare workers who contribute to the decision-making process. They are required to have a good understanding of decision making of DNACPR. Objectives: To ascertain the availability of formalized decision-making process, nurse’s satisfaction, whether nurses are observed the decision- making process and to experience who have made the DNACPR decision currently Methods: A hospital-based, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a pre-tested questionnaire. A convenient sample of nurses working in Teaching Hospital Karapitiya was recruited to the study. Results: A total of 385 nurses were participated. It was noted that 76.1% of the nurses expressed as formalized decision-making process is not available for DNACPR. The 82.3% of the participants reported that they were not satisfied with current methods. Only 84.2% had observed DNACPR decision making process. Results showed nurses never made the decision and only 0.5% observed the patient’s family involvement. There were 72.2% of nurses who experienced that doctors did not discuss with nurses while making decision. Data showed nurse’s contribution is in very low level for making DNACPR decision. Around 56% of nurses have suggested that patient’s decision is required for the decision-making process and 82.3% responded as doctors must do a discussion before deciding action. Conclusions: Most of the nurses expressed that there is no formalized decision-making process, when DNACPR decision been made and dissatisfied about the current method. According to the nurse’s perception, nurses’ and patients’ contribution for DNACPR is very low.