Abstract
The decision to withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation from a patient within an intensive care unit (ICU) may be a difficult but appropriate one for which there are few guidelines. We describe the formulation of a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) policy in our multidisciplinary ICU. To evaluate the effect of implementation of the DNR policy on physician practice and on communication among physicians, nurses, patients and their families, we interviewed physicians and nurses caring for patients designated DNR before (n = 8) and after (n = 17) implementation of the DNR policy. We found that DNR orders in the ICU were not infrequent (2–3 per week). All patients designated DNR were either irreversibly ill or not responsive to maximal therapy, and 22 of 25 were not competent. The DNR order was not accompanied by withdrawal of other therapy in 50% of cases and one patient recovered and was discharged from hospital. The implementation of the DNR policy encouraged greater physician consultation with other physicians, patients and their families. Although there were differences in perception of communication between physicians and nurses, we believe that the DNR policy influenced physician practice and enhanced overall communication in the ICU.
Résumé
La décision de s’abstenir à faire une réanimation cardiopulmonaire d’un patient aux soins intensifs (ICU) peut être difficile mais appropriée pour laquelle des rares directives sont actuellement disponibles. On déerit la formulation d’une politique de non-réanimation (DNR) dans notre unité multidisciplinaire de soins intensifs. Afin d’évaluer les effets de l’instauration de cette politique DNR sur la pratique médicate et sur la communication entre les médecins, les infirmières, les patients et leur famille, on a interviewé des médecins et des infirmières soignant ces patients avant (n = 8) et après (n = 17) application de cette politique. On a note que les ordres de DNR dans les soins intensifs n’étaient pas rares (2 à 3 par semaine). Tous les patients de ce groupe étaient soit malades d’une façon irréversible soit ne répondant pas à la thérapie maximale et 22 sur 25 étaient incompétents. L’ordre de DNR n’était pas accompagné d’un retrait des autres thérapies dans 50% des cas et un patient a récupéré et fut congédié de l’hôpital. La mise en place cette politique de DNR a encouragé une plus grande consultation entre les médecins, les patients et leur famille. Même s’il y avail une différence de perception dans la communication entre les médecins et les infirmiéres, on croit que cette politique a influencé la pratique médicale et a amélioré en général la communication aux soins intensifs.
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Webster, G.C., Mazer, C.D., Potvin, C.A. et al. Evaluation of a “do not resuscitate” policy in intensive care. Can J Anaesth 38, 553–563 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03008184
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03008184