Television Resuscitation

One reason discussing a DNR order with patients and families can be difficult is pre-existing expectations.

NEJM - CPR on T.V.

"The survival rates in our study are significantly higher than the most optimistic survival rates in the medical literature, and the portrayal of CPR on television may lead the viewing public to have an unrealistic impression of CPR and its chances for success."

CPR was observed 60 times in 97 episodes viewed in this study. In the majority of cases, cardiac arrest was caused by trauma (not true in real life); only 28 percent were due to primary cardiac causes (much more in real life). Sixty-five percent of the cardiac arrests occurred in children, teenagers, or young adults (definitely not true). Seventy-five percent of the patients survived the immediate arrest, and 67 percent appeared to have survived to hospital discharge (roughly 15-30% in real life).