Related Experiment Videos
Communicating about resuscitation: problems and prospects
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson 85724.
The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice
|March 1, 1993
Summary
Physician-patient-family communication significantly impacts decisions about resuscitation and advance directives. Understanding social factors like capacity and attitudes toward death improves these crucial end-of-life discussions.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Communication Studies
- Sociology of Health
Background:
- The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1991 promotes discussions on advance directives and no-code orders.
- Limited research exists on physician-patient-family communication in resuscitative decision-making.
- This study examines communication dynamics in end-of-life care decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how communication between physicians, patients, and families influences resuscitative decision-making.
- To explore the social and cultural factors affecting these critical conversations.
- To enhance therapeutic alliances during end-of-life care.
Main Methods:
- Employed participant observation and open-ended interviews.
- Included patients, families, resident physicians, and faculty members.
- Gathered qualitative data on communication processes.
Main Results:
- Identified three key social/cultural influences on do-not-resuscitate (DNR) decisions: judging capacity, managing uncertainty, and acknowledging attitudes toward death.
- Highlighted the role of communication in navigating these complex issues.
- Described common challenges in DNR decision-making.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced understanding of communication processes is vital for effective physician-patient-family interactions.
- Facilitating therapeutic alliances improves end-of-life care discussions.
- Addresses critical junctures in the family life cycle related to healthcare decisions.
Keywords:
Death and Euthanasia