NHS Wales Talk CPR and Professor Mark Taubert have produced an excellent 6 minute video with practical tips for healthcare professionals having sensitive conversations about CPR and DNACPR. Ideally these discussions are held in an appropriate setting by someone who knows the person and the family already.
This 6 minute video suggests:
- Familiarising yourself with the relevant forms/policies in advance
- Asking for permission to involve relatives
- Adopting your own style and not being formulaic in your discussion
- Focussing on the person during the consultation, not on the form
- Listening and exploring your patient's views on CPR
- Explaining what CPR actually is and that the success rate is low in patients with palliative and life limiting conditions
- Explaining the risks of CPR
- Reassuring patients that alternative treatment are available and talking through these (Professor Taubert describes a treatment ladder of escalating intervention in the video below, with CPR at the top)
- Ensuring the patient has capacity to understand the decision
- If there is a disagreement always offer a second opinion
See also:
Resuscitation Council UK guidance
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) : Information for patients and carers
The video on the patient and carers page explains what CPR involves and how some people will and won't benefit from CPR. You may find it helpful to watch it with your patients during these discussions.