Do not resuscitate: An expanding role for critical care response team

BACKGROUND: Do not resuscitate (DNR) order is an important aspect of medical practice. Since the implementation of critical care response team (CCRT), frequently we have encountered with patients in the wards that should have been made DNR. Initiating DNR became an important part of CCRT activity. We were obliged to extended the role of CCRT - beyond managing seriously ill patients - in addressing the code status for patients after discussion with the managing teams. PURPOSE: We compare the trend of initiation of DNR orders in the regular ward before and after implementing CCRT. METHODS: Our hospital is 1200 bed tertiary care center. CCRT has been launched in January 1, 2008. The CCRT is 24/7 service led by in-house North American certified intensivists. Cohort analysis of prospectively collected data of 5406 CCRT activation from January 1, 2008, to September 30, 2013. Data before implementation of CCRT was available for 299 patients from the period of June 1, 2007, to December 31, 2007. A comparison made between the two groups (before and after implementation of CCRT) for demographic data and percentage of patients in whom DNR order initiated. RESULTS: Before CCRT implementation, 299 patients were attended by Intensive Care Unit physician for regular consultation, 41.1% were females and 52.4% were males with mean of age 58.44 ± 18.47 standard deviation (SD). DNR was initiated in 2.7% of patients. After CCRT implementation, 5904 CCRT activations, 47.6% females and 52.4% males with mean of age 59.17 ± 20.07 SD DNR initiated in 468 (7.9%) of cases. There was 5.2% increase in DNR orders initiation and completion after CCRT introduced to our institute.