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Original Article
Hospital Nurses' Experience of Do-Not-Resuscitate in Korea
Myungsun Yi, Sang Eun Oh, Eun Ok Choi, In Gak Kwon, Sungbok Kwon, Kyung-mi Cho, Youngah Kang, Jeonghui Ok
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2008;38(2):298-309.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2008.38.2.298
Published online: April 30, 2008

1Professor, College of Nursing, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

2Professor, College of Nursing, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.

3Associate Professor, Department of Nursing & Research Institute of Geriatric Health, Inje University, Busan, Korea.

4Professor, Department of Clinical Nursing Science, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

5Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, Dongshin University, Naju, Korea.

6Associate Professor, Department of Nursing, Kyungin Women's College, Incheon, Korea.

7Nurse Coordinator, Department of Hematology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

8Nurse, Department of Nursing, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Yi, Myungsun. College of Nursing, Seoul National University, 28 Yeongeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, Korea. Tel: 82-2-740-8829, Fax: 82-2-6442-8829, donam@snu.ac.kr
• Received: January 22, 2008   • Accepted: March 31, 2008

Copyright © 2008 Korean Society of Nursing Science

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  • Purpose
    The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of do-not-resuscitate (DNR) among nurses.
  • Methods
    Data were collected by in-depth interviews with 8 nurses in 8 different hospitals. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data.
  • Results
    Eight major themes emerged from the analysis: DNR decision-making bypassing the patient, inefficiency in the decision-making process of DNR, negative connotation of DNR, predominance of verbal DNR over written DNR, doubts and confusion about DNR, least amount of intervention in the decision for DNR change of focus in the care of the patient after a DNR order, and care burden of patients with DNR. Decision-making of DNR occurred between physicians and family members, not the patients themselves. Often high medical expenses were involved in choosing DNR, thus if choosing DNR it was implied the family members and health professionals as well did not try their best to help the patient. Verbal DNR permission was more popular in clinical settings. Most nurses felt guilty and depressed about the dying/death of patients with DNR.
  • Conclusion
    Clearer guidelines on DNR, which reflect a family-oriented culture, need to be established to reduce confusion and to promote involvement in the decision-making process of DNR among nurses.
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