A Survey for Assessment of Practical Aspects of End-of-life Practices across Indian Intensive Care Units

Discussion of the do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders with the family caregivers of cancer patients: An example from a major cancer center in Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVES

To explore the views of the family caregivers (FCGs) about the "do-not-resuscitate" (DNR) discussions and decision-making processes that occurred during hospitalization in a Saudi cancer center.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional survey, the FCGs of inpatients with advanced cancer completed a self-administered questionnaire soon after giving the patients a DNR status designation by their oncologists.

RESULTS

Eighty-two FCGs participated in the study, with a median age of 36.5 years and male preponderance (70.7%). The FCGs were mostly sons (41.5%), daughters (14%), or brothers (11%) of patients. Only 13.4% of mentally competent patients had the chance to listen to the DNR discussion. The discussion mainly occurred in the ward corridor (48.8%) or another room away from the patients' rooms (35.4%). In 36.6% of cases, the discussion took ≤5 minutes. Half of the FCGs stated that the oncologists' justifications for the DNR decision were unconvincing. The majority (84.2%) of the FCGs felt that the healthcare providers should share the DNR decision-making with patients (1.2%), families (69.5%), or both (13.4%). FCGs ≤ 30 years of age were more supportive of giving patients' families a chance to participate in the DNR decision-making process (p = 0.012).

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

There is considerable room for improving the current practice of DNR discussions and decision-making processes in the studied setting. A readily feasible rectifying measure is to ensure the adequacy of time and privacy when planning for DNR discussions. We expect our findings to draw the attention of stakeholders to a compelling need for reviewing the current policies and processes, aiming to improve the experience of cancer patients and their FCGs.

Terminal Extubation or Terminal Weaning: Is it Feasible in Indian Intensive Care Units?

Terminal extubation (TE) and weaning have long been suggested as a modality of intervention when the continuation of mechanical ventilation is not expected to achieve its therapeutic aim and is merely prolonging the dying process. The decision, however, is complex considering limited evidence regarding the best practices and is often defied due to inherent ethical, legal, and medical dilemmas. The article attempts a brief overview of available literature on this subject and discusses its feasibility in Indian intensive care units (ICUs).

How to cite this article

Kumar A, Bhat RS, Mani RK. Terminal Extubation or Terminal Weaning: Is it Feasible in Indian Intensive Care Units? Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(2):103-105.

Who Cares About Me? The Need of the Hour is to Improve Awareness and Quality of End-of-life Care Practices in Indian Intensive Care Units

How to cite this article: Singh U, Maurya I, Gurjar M. Who Cares About Me? The Need of the Hour is to Improve Awareness and Quality of End-of-life Care Practices in Indian Intensive Care Units. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(8):523-525.