Influences of DNAR Order Prohibition on Hospital Discharged Ratios and Neurological Outcomes at Discharge

Study Design and Setting:

This is a single-center, retrospective chart review performed in a 180-bed rural city hospital.

Methods of Measurements:

Study was conducted as retrospective chart review of CPR call forms that were completed between February 2010 and February 2012. Approximately 450,000 patients were annually admitted to this hospital; 1800 patients were hospitalized in wards, and 500 patients were hospitalized in intensive care units during the study period. A form termed the CPR call form is completed by the leader of the CPR team at the end of all calls. These forms are filed in the hospital archive in chronological order. The hospital uses the resuscitation guidelines from the American Heart Association, and all healthcare providers of the CPR team are certified in basic cardiac life support (BCLS) and advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS).

Study Population The data were collected from the CPR call forms and hospital medical records. All data were noted by using the Utstein-style reporting template and included the demographic data (date of birth/age and gender), date of arrest, time of first CPR attempt, etiology, preexisting conditions, location of arrest, arrest witnessed (a witnessed cardiac arrest is one that is observed or heard by another person or an arrest that is monitored), initial rhythm, duration of CPR attempt, end of event, date of discharge or death and neurological outcomes at discharge from the hospital.