Cardiopulmonary resuscitation personal choices of physicians and nurses

Nine hundred and twenty-two attending physicians, residents and graduate nurses in five hospitals were requested to state their personal preference to receive either cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or intubation and mechanical ventilation (MV) when given three estimated outcomes: 1) complete recovery, 2) important loss in mental and physical functions, c) persistent unconsciousness. They also could choose not to accept either procedure. Seventy three percent would accept CPR and 70 percent MV, only if complete recovery was likely. Thirteen percent would accept CPR and MV if important losses of function were likely. Eight percent would accept CPR and 5 percent would accept MV if recovery of consciousness was unlikely. Six percent would not accept CPR and eleven percent would not accept MV under any circumstance. Men and women differed in the choice of outcomes which made resuscitation acceptable to them (p < .001). More women than men would accept CPR and MV if complete recovery was likely and were unwilling to accept CPR or MV under any circumstance at all. Half as many women as men would accept MV if they were likely to remain unconscious. Choices also varied with age and professional training. There are large individual differences as to how physicians and nurses would like their personal cardiopulmonary arrest to be managed. Their choice is appropriately influenced by the expected outcome and seems to be influenced by the local hospital setting.