A Comparison between Nurses and Nursing Students of Tabriz and Kurdistan Universities Points of View in Term of DNR, 2012.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction and Purpose: End of life is considered as an important issue in bioethics. In the past, the assumption of heart, lung, or brain failure was regarded as a person's end of life. Today, however, using advanced and controlled technology, someone's death criteria have changed. In other words, spreading the disorder to other vital organs is easily controlled. CPR is an immediate action to prevent certain and inevitable death in patients who suffer from cardiopulmonary arrest. Recently, however, CPR doesn't play its major role and has turned into a routine action which is done for all patients, regardless of their current circumstances, their background diseases, and their wishes and beliefs. Due to rapid growth of elderly population, CPR has been given more meaning in the society. The aim of this study is to compare nurses and nursing students of Tabriz and Kurdistan Universities' points of views in Terms of DNR (do not resuscitate). Materials and Methods: This descriptive –comparative study was carried out on 307 nurses and 184 nursing students using census method in 2012. In order to gather the data, Margaret Carol Down questionnaire (2000) was used which includes 25 statements. Data analysis was done using SPSS software and descriptive and deductive statistics. Findings: Only in the statement "medical team needs to give hope to patients at the time of certain death", there was a significant difference between the students of midwifery and nursing faculties' points of view in Kurdistan and Tabriz universities (0.04). Also, there was a significant difference between nurses in hospitals of medical universities of Kurdistan and Tabriz in statements: "question should not be asked from patient and their family in terms of DNR" and "officials' points of view in terms of DNR should be sought" (0.04). Discussion and Conclusion: In this study, we concluded that nursing students and nurses' attitudes towards CPR was negative. Consequently, in this regard and based on the results, medical staff bewilderment, as well as lack of standard procedure in terms of CPR, nursing administrators and practitioners should attempt to develop guidelines based on Iranian and Islamic culture. In order to develop such guidelines, comprehensive trainings for different groups including patients, society members, medical practitioners, and health officials and policy makers need to be provided.