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DNACPR
Do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation, formerly DNR
A DNACPR decision records in advance that CPR will not be attempted if a person's heart or breathing stops.
Summary
- It stands for do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and was formerly called DNR.
- It covers CPR only. Every other treatment and all other care continue.
- A senior clinician makes the decision. The patient, or those close to them, must be involved unless that would cause them harm.
- During the pandemic the Care Quality Commission found DNACPR decisions had been applied to groups of people without individual assessment.
Interview questions
- What is a DNACPR decision, and who makes it?
- A family insists that everything be done for a frail relative whose doctors think CPR would not work. What do you say?
- Why is it wrong to apply a DNACPR decision to a whole care home?
Practise answering these with a mentor
Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.
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More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.