Grey areas: New Zealand ambulance personnel ’s experiences of challenging resuscitation decision-making

For the majority of out of hospital cardiac arrest patients, the event heralds imminent death[1]. For those with a reversible cause, prompt initiation of the aptly-named chain of survival is vital, as delays reduce the odds of return of circulation, and increase subsequent morbidity and mortality [2]. Emergency ambulance staff attending cardiac arrests are often expected to make rapid judgements in demanding circumstances, with limited available information [3]. With increasingly aged and comorbid populations, initiation of resuscitation or prolonged resuscitation efforts may not be appropriate for all patients found in cardiac arrest in the community [4,5].

Source: International Emergency Nursing - August 5, 2017 Category: Nursing Authors: Natalie Elizabeth Anderson, Merryn Gott, Julia Slark Source Type: research