Barriers to the success of cardiopulmonary resuscitation from the perspective of Iranian nurses: A qualitative content analysis

Background: The survival rate following Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) has been reported to be 7-26.7%. Various studies have shown that CPR failure is high in many countries. This study was aimed to explore the barriers to the success of CPR from the perspective of Iranian nurses. Methods: Participants were 14 Iranian nurses recruited through purposive sampling. In-depth semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The barriers to successful CPR were developed in three main categories and nine subcategories. Some of the barriers to CPR success were: "delayed attendance of the CPR team and start of CPR", "inadequate experience and skill of the CPR team", "poor access to special units", "insufficient and deficient CPR equipment", "poor CPR location", "critical clinical conditions of the patient", and "interference of the patient's family members. Conclusion: The results showed that human and environmental factors can result in CPR failure. These barriers can be minimized by measures such as empowerment of the CPR team, and providing the necessary facilities and equipment.