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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions and attitudes of nurses regarding the practices surrounding do not resuscitate (DNR) status in the critical care setting. With the unprecedented advances in health care technology, critical care nurses are becoming increasingly involved in the care of patients and families for which treatment decisions such as a DNR designation are considered. Placed in a situation which may create ethical dilemmas, critical care nurses may often be left to question the appropriateness of DNR designation. The questionnaire "Nurses' Perceptions Surrounding DNR Status in the Critical Care Setting" was used to collect data on the perceptions and attitudes of 405 critical care nurses toward DNR status. The majority of nurses do not define DNR according to its legal definition. Consequently, confusion was noted in initiating, withholding, and withdrawing treatment for the DNR patient. Nurses were generally unaware of existing hospital policies surrounding DNR designation. Interdisciplinary changes to education, practice, and health care policies are necessary to achieve patient treatment goals.
