title: Perspectives of Iranian medical students about do-not-resuscitate orders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the attitudes of Iranian medical students towards the do-not-resuscitate (DNR) decision.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 220 medical students (110 interns and 110 residents) of Tehran University of medical sciences were selected. They asked to answer to the questionnaire which included two items: first item consisted of demographic questions (age, sex, and level of education); second item included questions about DNR Orders which derived from a previous study conducted by Hosaka et al.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 185 questionnaires returned (Response rate (RR=84%)). Ninety five were residents and ninety were interns. Seventy four percent of residents and 53% of interns felt that DNR order is sporadically necessary. Near 30% of interns and 40% of residents had participated in DNRs in their study period and the most case was the patient with terminal cancer. The most common person who decided DNR orders were physicians.Most participants believed that DNR cards are useful for establishing in clinical settings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As DNR is definitely a medical decision, it should be clearly discussed with patients and their families. So, it should be provided in standard format in medical situations.
authors.affiliation: Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghajarzadeh
authors.affiliation: Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Roshanak
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amini
authors.affiliation: Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Norouzi-Javidan
authors.affiliation: Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Hassan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Emami-Razavi
keywords: DNR; Iran; attitude; medical students