Do-not-resuscitate decision: the attitudes of medical and non-medical students

• Published in: Journal of medical ethics Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. 261 - 265
• Main Authors: Sham, C O, Cheng, Y W, Ho, K W, Lai, P H, Lo, L W, Wan, H L, Wong, C Y, Yeung, Y N, Yuen, S H, Wong, A Y C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics 01.05.2007; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Publishing Group Ltd; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitude to Death; Attitudes; Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Bioethics; Cardiac arrest; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Clinical Ethics; CPR; Critical care; Death; Decision Making; Diseases; DNR; Do not resuscitate; Do-not-resuscitate orders; Ethics, Professional; Family members; Female; Health care industry; Hong Kong; Humans; Illnesses; Male; Medical education; Medical prognosis; Medical students; Middle Aged; Older adults; Patient Advocacy; Pneumonia; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Public opinion; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Response rates; Resuscitation orders; Resuscitation Orders - ethics; Resuscitation Orders - psychology; Social Values; Statistical analysis; Students; Students, Medical - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Hong Kong; Hong Kong China; China
• ISSN: 0306-6800; 1473-4257
• DOI: 10.1136/jme.2005.014423

Objectives: To study the attitudes of both medical and non-medical students towards the do-not-resuscitate (DNR) decision in a university in Hong Kong, and the factors affecting their attitudes. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey conducted in the campus of a university in Hong Kong. Preferences and priorities of participants on cardiopulmonary resuscitation in various situations and case scenarios, experience of death and dying, prior knowledge of DNR and basic demographic data were evaluated. Results: A total of 766 students participated in the study. There were statistically significant differences in their DNR decisions in various situations between medical and non-medical students, clinical and preclinical students, and between students who had previously experienced death and dying and those who had not. A prior knowledge of DNR significantly affected DNR decision, although 66.4% of non-medical students and 18.7% of medical students had never heard of DNR. 74% of participants from both medical and non-medical fields considered the patient’s own wish as the most important factor that the healthcare team should consider when making DNR decisions. Family wishes might not be decisive on the choice of DNR. Conclusions: Students in medical and non-medical fields held different views on DNR. A majority of participants considered the patient’s own wish as most important in DNR decisions. Family wishes were considered less important than the patient’s own wishes.