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Abstract Do not resuscitate (DNR) is a written medical order stating that cardiopulmonary resuscitative measures will not be initiated in the event of a cardiac or respiratory arrest and often applied to critically ill patients who are considered to have a poor prognosis. Do not resuscitate (DNR) order is an excellent marker for identifying inpatients at the end of life. After a DNR order is written for such a patient, nursing care for comfort measures are provided to the patient until the end of the patient’s life. Nurses are often not included in this clinical decision-making process. Although nurses should participate in DNR decision-making, this is still not evident and physicians remain responsible for the ultimate decision. The aim of this study was to describe nurses’ knowledge and attitudes regarding Do Not resuscitate’ (DNR) status in Critical Care Units. The study was conducted at the Intensive Care Units of Alexandria Main University Hospital namely; Casualty Care Unit (Unit I), General intensive Care Unit (Unit III), Chest intensive Care Unit, Coronary care unit, Neurosurgery intensive Care Unit, Triage and the Burn intensive care unit. A convenient sample consisting of one hundred and forty (140) critical care nurses working in the previously mentioned intensive care units were included in the study. |