Any fan of TV medical dramas knows the drill. A patient in the emergency room goes into cardiac arrest, and the resuscitation team springs into action. The compressor begins pumping on the patient’s chest, the airway manager initiates intubation, someone else readies the defibrillators, yells “clear,” and an electric shock jolts the patient.
Tensions build. The drug manager gives a dose of epinephrine. The team leader shouts directions. And because it’s primetime television, a family member cries in the background.
Then, suddenly, they have a pulse. Cardiac activity returns. The patient is saved, and by the end of the episode, they are thanking the medical team and walking out the front door.
In real life, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) seldom works, yet most people believe it is effective. Researchers are finding that failed attempts can negatively impact medical care providers and cause mortal distress.
