Ankara Medical Journal

Öz

Objectives: The aim of this study is to bring out the
experience of health workers in the palliative care center about resuscitation
(CPR) applied in the palliative care.

Materials and Methods: This study is a descriptive qualitative
study which is designed phenomenologically. Purposive sampling method is used
for the study. The interviews were conducted with six doctors and four nurses,
who accept to interview, by semi-structured interviews. Then, these interviews
were transcripted. Thematic analysis was used for analyzing the data obtained
from these transcripts.

Results: With increasing number of palliative care centers,
end-of-life patients who got served by those centers significantly increased as
well. In palliative care centers, the aim is neither to hasten or postpone
death. Applying CPR to the patient, who takes end-of-life care, leads ethical
dilemma and legal issues. Despite this dilemma and issues, health workers
continue to apply CPR. Four sub-themes which causes this issue were described.
These sub-themes are as follows: "I know my patient's condition,
However…”, “I empathize. However…”, “I am afraid of the patient's relatives”,
“I am afraid of the shortcoming in legal regulations.”. The main theme consists
of these sub-themes is "I do not feel safe".

Conclusion: The main problem according to the findings
of the study is, even though health workers think CPR should not be applied to
the patient who takes end-of-life care, they had to apply CPR because they do
not feel safe themselves. This situation leads both legal and ethical
discussions. Moreover, it causes ethical dilemma. The services which will be
provided to the patients, who take end-of-life care in palliative care centers,
should be determined with palliative care service guidance and the coverage and
content of these services should be shared with health employees and citizens.
There is a need for legal and ethical regulations on CPR applications for the
patients taking end-of-life care.