Circ Cardiovasc Qual
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Circ Cardiovasc Qual · Jul 2009
A qualitative study to identify barriers to local implementation of prehospital termination of resuscitation protocols.
Despite the existence of national American Heart Association guidelines and 2 termination-of-resuscitation (TOR) rules for ceasing efforts in refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, many emergency medical services agencies in the United States have adopted their own local protocols. Public policies and local perceptions may serve as barriers or facilitators to implementing national TOR guidelines at the local level. ⋯ We have identified 3 influential groups who will need to work with national organizations to overcome current policies or prevailing perceptions that may impede implementing national TOR guidelines.