Background Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provides a significant increase in survival rate, even if performed by bystanders. However, bystanders may refrain from performing CPR for fear of eventual malpractice litigation. Currently lack Guidelines specifying whether a particular CPR-related complication is in all likelihood unavoidable or not. To fulfill this gap a great number of studies is required to be published in the most relevant leading academic literature. This paper aims at making a contribution to addressing such a challenge. Methods A retrospective observational study based on forensic autopsy material aiming at recording injuries resulting from the application of CPR. The severity of injuries was forensically evaluated. Results Out of 88 cases autopsied, only 26.7% had rib fractures (only 20% of which were located in the 6 lower ribs), 17.4% had sternal fractures (85.7% of which were detected in the body of the sternum and 14.3% in the manubrium). The ratio of sternal fractures to rib fractures is similar to the ratio cited in other studies reported in the literature (2:3, approximately). The number of fractures was 7.86 (4.11 on the right side and 4.75 on the left side). 16% of the cases were found to be mild, 48% were moderate, and 35% of the cases were severe. When a physician was present, a (not statistically significant) trend towards more severe complications was found. Conclusion The findings are in accordance with other similar studies reported in the literature referring to the classic external CPR. This study offers a proposal aiming at making a contribution to develop Guidelines specifying whether a particular CPR-related complication is in all likelihood unavoidable or not.

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Burnout is a work-specific syndrome with high incidence among intensive care unit personnel. Although several risk factors have been proposed, data regarding the association of anxiety and burnout among intensive care unit physicians are scarce. The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence of burnout and its association with state and trait anxiety and other sociodemographic, behavioural and occupational-related parameters, among intensivists. A population of intensive care physicians was evaluated using the self-completed Maslach Burnout Inventory and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y, and data regarding sociodemographic and occupational-related variables were also recorded. From the 98 intensive care physicians addressed, 80 returned fully completed questionnaires; 26.9% of them presented with high emotional exhaustion, 37.5% with high depersonalisation and 41.5% with low personal accomplishment scores. Trait anxiety, fear of having committed a medical error and self-reporting difficulty when having to act accurately were independently associated with high burnout. In conclusion, burnout is common among intensivists and is associated with specific behavioural characteristics and personality traits, but not with work-related factors.

Background Empathy is an important key driver of any therapeutic relationship. It is beneficial for both physicians and patients. Enhancing physician’s empathy should be an important goal of medical education. As there was a literature gap regarding the topic of empathy among medical students in Greece, this study aimed to contribute to filling this gap. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. A socio-demographic questionnaire and the 52-item Greek version of the Toronto composite empathy scale (TCES) for measuring the cognitive and emotional aspects of empathy in both personal and professional life was administered to all the medical students in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in Greece. Descriptive statistics were displayed for demographics. The associations of the variables were quantified by Chi-2 independence tests and Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire was determined by Cronbach’s α, Hotelling's T-Squared Test, and Pearson correlation. Paired and Independent Sample T-Tests and One-way ANOVAs indicated statistically significant mean differences among the variables or subgroups of the variables. Results The 52‐item TCES, 26 for the personal (Per) setting and another 26 for professional (Pro) life, equally divided into cognitive (Cog) and emotional (Emo) empathy in each case. The overall reliability of the TCES questionnaire was found to be high (Cronbach's α = 0.895, significant positive correlations between the subscales). The mean total score of empathy showed that students had a moderately high empathy. Further, there was a statistically significant difference in means between the Per-Cog and Per-Emo settings (p < 0.001), the Pro-Cog and Pro-Emo (p < 0.001), the Per-Cog and Pro-Cog (p = 0.004), and the Per-Emo and Pro-Emo (p < 0.001). Females had significantly higher empathy scores (mean score 208.04) than males (192.5) on the Per-Cog, Per-Emo and Pro-Emo subscales. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between empathy and factors such as love for animals, interest in medical ethics, belief in God, having an ill person in the family, class year or carrier intention. Conclusions The TCES is applicable to medical students. For the most part our findings were consistent with previous literature. However, we identified some nuances that might draw researchers’ attention. The results of this study may contribute to plan interventions in the curriculum to enhance empathy in the medical students.

Background Providing futile medical care is an ever-timely ethical problem in clinical practice. While nursing personnel are very closely involved in providing direct care to patients nearing the end of life, their role in end-of-life decision-making remains unclear. Methods This was a prospective qualitative study conducted with experienced nursing professionals from December 2020 through May 2021. Individual in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with sixteen participants. We performed a thematic analysis of the data. Results Importantly, many participants were half-hearted in their attitude towards accepting or defining futile medical care. Furthermore, interestingly, a list of well-described circumstances emerged, under which the dying process is most likely to be a “bad and undignified” process. These circumstances reflected situations revolving around a) pain and suffering, b) treating patients with respect, c) the appearance and image of the patient body, and d) the interaction between patients and their relatives. Fear of legal action, the lack of a regulatory framework, physicians being pressured by (mostly uninformed) family members and physicians’ personal motives were reported as important reasons behind providing futile medical care. The nursing professional’s role as a participant in decisions on futile care and as a mediator between physicians and patients (and family members) was highlighted. Furthermore, the patient’s role in decisions on futile care was prioritized. The patient’s effort to keep themselves alive was also highlighted. This effort impacts nursing professionals’ willingness to provide care. Providing futile care is a major factor that negatively affects nursing professionals’ inner attitude towards performing their duties. Finally, the psychological benefits of providing futile medical care were highlighted, and the importance of the lack of adequately developed end-of-life care facilities in Greece was emphasized. Conclusions These findings enforce our opinion that futile medical care should be conceptualized in the strict sense of the term, namely, as caring for a brain-dead individual or a patient in a medical condition whose continuation would most likely go against the patient’s presumed preference (strictly understood). Our findings were consistent with prior literature. However, we identified some issues that are of clinical importance.