Assessment of mortality rate and its relation to off-hours and holidays in patients admitted to the CCU of a Noor general hospital

Despite the reduction of mortality rate in the past years, coronary artery diseases (CADs) are the main reason of death in the world. Many factors including changes in nurses and medical staffs, numbers of beds influence the mortality rate of patients admitted in holidays and night time. The objectives of this study were to clarify the association between mortality rate and off-hours and holidays in patients admitted to the cardiac care unit (CCU) of Noor General Hospital. This is a retrospective study of 186 hospitalized patients in CCU that suffered cardiac arrest during 10 years. Patients 'data was gathered in a questionnaire including information about sex, date and cause of hospitalization and cardiac arrest, CPR duration, admission in working hours, off-hours and holidays. Data showed that patients were between the ages of 21 to 88 years old (66.92 ± 52.12), and 92 patients (50%) were female. Time of admission of 146 deceased patients (79.5%) and time of CPR of 145 of them (78.9%) were in off- hours and holidays. Patients who had died of pulmonary embolism were admitted in the evenings and holidays. Cardiac arrest and CPR of hospitalized patients diagnosed with cardiogenic shock and chronic renal failure were in the evening shift and holidays, too. Higher mortality of CCU patients  admitted during nights, evening hours, and holidays or when CPR were performed on them during these times  showed that patient care and diagnostic and treating procedures were not performed effectively; and this issue could be  due to the fewer number of physicians, nurses or fatigue of staffs at night hours.