Table 2 Practices, perceptions and attitudes to the most recent DNAR decision: discussion with and information to patient and relatives
Questions | All % (n = 522) | Physicians % (n = 210) | Nurses % (n = 312) | p valuea | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | Uncertain | Yes | No | Uncertain | Yes | No | Uncertain | ||
Was the decision discussed with the patient? | 38.4 | 55.1 | 6.5 | 40.8 | 55.8 | 3.4 | 36.4 | 54.4 | 9.2 | 0.042 |
Was the prognosis discussed with the patient? | 45.5 | 47.5 | 7.0 | 50.7 | 45.8 | 3.4 | 40.9 | 49.0 | 10.1 | 0.008 |
Was the patient asked about his or her opinion in the process that led to the DNAR decision? | 35.8 | 55.2 | 9.1 | 40.0 | 55.1 | 4.9 | 32.1 | 55.3 | 12.7 | 0.010 |
Did the patient have the opportunity or ability to participate in the discussion? | 40.1 | 50.8 | 9.1 | 42.2 | 52.0 | 5.9 | 38.4 | 49.8 | 11.8 | 0.093 |
Was it the patient him- or herself who initiated the discussion? | 6.1 | 87.7 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 93.1 | 2.0 | 7.2 | 83.1 | 9.7 | 0.002 |
Was it the patient him- or herself who requested the DNAR order? | 15.9 | 72.3 | 11.8 | 13.8 | 77.8 | 8.4 | 17.7 | 67.5 | 14.8 | 0.040 |
If the decision was made without the patient’s involvement, was the patient informed of the decision once it was made? | 28.2 | 54.4 | 17.4 | 32.2 | 60.9 | 6.9 | 25.0 | 49.1 | 25.4 | < 0.001 |
Was the decision ethically right? | 90.4 | 2.3 | 7.3 | 93.1 | 0.5 | 6.4 | 88.0 | 3.9 | 8.2 | 0.045 |
Should the decision have been made earlier? | 40.7 | 34.9 | 24.4 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 22.0 | 42.3 | 31.2 | 26.5 | 0.208 |
Should the decision have been made later? | 2.1 | 82.0 | 15.9 | 1.0 | 87.7 | 11.3 | 3.0 | 77.1 | 19.9 | 0.013 |
Was the decision discussed with the patient’s relatives? | 66.9 | 24.5 | 8.6 | 67.5 | 27.7 | 4.9 | 66.4 | 21.7 | 11.9 | 0.019 |
Was the prognosis discussed with the patient’s relatives? | 77.3 | 15.2 | 7.5 | 78.2 | 16.5 | 5.3 | 76.6 | 14.0 | 9.4 | 0.241 |
Were the patient’s relatives given an opportunity to participate in the discussion? | 58.3 | 27.1 | 14.6 | 63.2 | 29.4 | 74 | 54.0 | 25.1 | 20.9 | < 0.001 |
Was it the patient’s relatives who initiated the discussion? | 4.1 | 85.4 | 10.5 | 3.9 | 92.2 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 79.5 | 16.2 | < 0.001 |