Cardiopulmonary resuscitation-from the patient's perspective.

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Patient Autonomy
• End-of-Life Care

Background:

• Patient autonomy is increasingly emphasized, encouraging greater patient involvement in end-of-life decisions.
• Informed decision-making regarding life-prolonging measures like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is essential for patient empowerment and optimized care.
• Shared decision-making requires patients to have accurate knowledge of resuscitation options and potential outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the local community's knowledge and perspectives on resuscitation options and end-of-life decision-making.
• To identify strategies for enhancing the quality of end-of-life discussions between patients and healthcare providers.

Main Methods:

• An interviewer-administered survey was conducted with 51 postoperative surgical patients at a Singaporean tertiary institution.
• The survey, based on validated questionnaires, comprised 18 questions assessing knowledge, attitudes, and preferences regarding CPR.
• Data were collected from April to May 2015.

Main Results:

• 80.4% of participants understood CPR's purpose, but 64.7% were unaware of potential complications.
• Less than half (41.2%) had considered their desired life support measures.
• A majority (86.3%) believed in personal involvement in end-of-life decisions, with many overestimating CPR success rates but showing receptiveness to learning more.

Conclusions:

• Significant gaps exist in patient knowledge regarding CPR, its complications, and success rates.
• Despite knowledge deficits, patients strongly desire involvement in end-of-life decision-making and are open to discussing these issues with physicians.
• There is a clear need for improved patient education and communication strategies to facilitate informed end-of-life choices.