title: Clinical audit on documentation of anticipatory "not for resuscitation" orders in a tertiary Australian teaching hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this clinical audit was to determine how accurately documentation of anticipatory Not for Resuscitation (NFR) orders takes place in a major metropolitan teaching hospital of Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective hospital-based study. Independent case reviewers using a questionnaire designed to study NFR documentation reviewed documentation of NFR in 88 case records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prognosis was documented in only 40% of cases and palliative care was offered to two-third of patients with documented NFR. There was no documentation of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) process or outcomes of CPR in most of the cases. Only in less than 50% of cases studied there was documented evidence to suggest that the reason for NFR documentation was consistent with patient's choices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Good discussion, unambiguous documentation and clinical supervision of NFR order ensure dignified and quality care to the dying.
authors.affiliation: Consultant, Department of Integrative Oncology, HCG Enterprise Ltd-Bangalore Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Naveen Sulakshan
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Salins
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jansen