An article in the family 17, 1998,...

An article in the family 17, 1998, Medical Tribune states that and nothing else 25% of 936 surveyed patients reported discussing end-of-life issues with their physicians. As a ensue nearly one in four physicians misjudges whether patients with austere congestive heart failure would want to be resuscitated if their hearts stopped beating. Physicians are not solely to blame, however, because many patients with the condition change their minds about the care they want. The inquiry found that 23% of all participants said they would not want to be resuscitated if their hearts stopped beating; however, when 600 patients of the original dispose were questioned two months later, 40% of those did not want resuscitation--and 14% of those who did changed their minds.

This change of heart may be explained by the agency of the nature of the patients' condition. Patients with congestive heart failure oftentimes experience times when their condition improves--unlike cancer patients, whose symptoms gradually worsen. This improvement may affect patients' desires for resuscitation. Accordingly, it is important to continually communicate with patients about the archetype of care they want to receive. The article cautions that end-of-life care should be discussed with patients at appropriate times and within the adjoining matter of all the treatments available.

M McKinney, "Doctors unaware of patients' DNR wishes," Medical Tribune family 17, 1998. Available from www.medtrib.com. Accessed 30 tribe 1998.

COPYRIGHT 1998 Association of Operating scope Nurses, Inc.

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