Impact of perceived inappropriate cardiopulmonary resuscitation on emergency clinicians’ intention to leave the job: Results from a cross-sectional survey in 288 centers across 24 countries

Abstract

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been offered and performed on an increasing number of patients with severe comorbidities and frailty over the years. Disproportionate CPR attempts to the expected prognosis of the patient in terms of survival or quality of life could be considered inappropriate resuscitation attempts. Inappropriate resuscitation attempts can be detrimental to the patients and families and can cause moral distress to emergency clinicians. Moral distress arises when there is a disagreement between what a clinician feels is right medically and ethically and what is possible with institutional and external constrains. Accumulation of moral distress may be associated with burnout and desire to leave the job, resulting in potential decreased quality of care to current and future patients.