Compliance with do-not-resuscitate orders for hospitalized patients transported to radiology departments.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the effectiveness of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders during transport of hospitalized patients away from their rooms.


OBJECTIVE
To determine compliance with DNR orders in radiology departments.


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
248 hospital-based radiology departments.


METHODS
248 radiology department representatives.


METHODS
10-item questionnaire examining the response of radiology personnel to patients with DNR orders who experience cardiopulmonary arrest.


RESULTS
Written DNR protocols and structured procedures for communicating DNR status were used by 18.5% (CI, 13.7% to 23.4%) and 18.1% (CI, 13.3% to 23.0%) of departments, respectively. Medical chart review was the only source of information on DNR status for 41.5% (CI, 35.4% to 47.7%) of departments. It was found that 20.2% of respondents (CI, 15.2% to 25.2%) would resuscitate patients with DNR orders and that 38.3% (CI, 32.3% to 44.4%) had resuscitated patients with DNR orders in the past.


CONCLUSIONS
Most radiology departments do not have formal procedures to prevent patients from undergoing unwanted or inappropriate resuscitative interventions, and DNR orders are frequently overruled.
Heffner
J E
JE
Mercy Health Services Research Group, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona 85001, USA.
Barbieri
C
C
D024362:Advance Directive Adherence; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital; D016414:Resuscitation Orders; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires