Korean J Hosp Palliat Care.  2015 Sep;18(3):208-218. 10.14475/kjhpc.2015.18.3.208.

Ethical Attitudes according to Education and Clinical Experience of Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR)

• Kae YA
• Lee MY
• Park JS
• Kim HJ
• Jung TY
• Jang BY
• Kim YJ
• Koo DH

• KMID: 2244616
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14475/kjhpc.2015.18.3.208

Abstract

PURPOSE
Although a Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) order is widely in use, it is one of the challenging issues in end-of-life care. This study was conducted to investigate attitudes toward DNR according to education and clinical experience.
METHODS
Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising 30 items in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea.
RESULTS
Participants were 238 nurses and 72 physicians. Most participants (99%) agreed to the necessity of DNR for reasons such as dignified death (52%), irreversible medical condition (23%) and patients' autonomy in decision making (19%). Among all, 33% participants had received education about DNR and 87% had DNR experience. According to participants' clinical DNR experience, their attitudes toward DNR significantly differed in terms of the necessity of DNR, timing of the DNR consent and post-DNR treatments including antibiotics. However, when participants were grouped by the level of DNR education, no significant difference was observed except in the timing of the DNR consent.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that the attitudes toward DNR were more affected by clinical experience of DNR rather than education. Therefore, DNR education programs should involve clinical settings.

Keyword

Resuscitation orders; Education; Attitude; Professional practice

MeSH Terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Decision Making
Education*
Korea
Professional Practice
Resuscitation Orders
Seoul
Tertiary Care Centers
Anti-Bacterial Agents