Factors that influence decisions about cardiopulmonary resuscitation: the views of doctors and medical students.
BACKGROUND
A number of studies have explored doctors' views and experiences of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but to our knowledge there has been no research to identify the information that doctors take into account when they make decisions about CPR.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate factors that influence decisions about CPR.


METHODS
Qualitative study involving six focus groups with 17 doctors and four medical students in Leicester, UK.


RESULTS
Doctors and medical students considered a number of factors important when making decisions about CPR-namely, the patient's diagnosis, prognosis, age, quality of life, the opinions of doctors and other medical staff, and the wishes of patients and relevant others. The relative importance of each of these factors varied significantly and was influenced by the doctors' own beliefs and values.


CONCLUSIONS
Doctors would benefit from greater support for their decision making in relation to resuscitation to reduce variability in clinical practice and to promote appropriate patient care. Identification of factors that influence doctors' individual beliefs, attitudes and values towards resuscitation and improvement in the quality of patient communication may help to guide policy in this area.
Tyrer
F
F
NIHR Research Design Service for the East Midlands, Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK. fct2@le.ac.uk
Williams
M
M
Feathers
L
L
Faull
C
C
Baker
I
I
D000367:Age Factors; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D016414:Resuscitation Orders / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*