Theresa A. Meyers

Do families want to be present during CPR? A retrospective survey

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to interview families who had experienced the death of a loved one to determine their desires, beliefs, and concerns about family presence during CPR. METHODS A retrospective, descriptive telephone survey of families of patients who had died because of traumatic injuries while in an emergency department was used. A family presence survey was developed to determine the desires, beliefs, and concerns about family presence during CPR. RESULTS Of the 25 family members surveyed, 80% said they would have wanted to have been in the room during CPR had they been given the option (desires), 96% believed that families should be able to be with their loved ones (beliefs), 68% believed that their presence might have helped their family member (beliefs), and 64% believed that their presence would have helped their sorrow following the death (beliefs). Major themes from family concerns were worry about the seriousness of the patients condition and whether the patient would survive the resuscitation. DISCUSSION Family members strongly support having the option of being present during CPR. Health care providers should explore ways to implement this program to best meet the needs of families.

Family Presence During Invasive Procedures and Resuscitation: Hearing the Voice of the Patient

How do patients react to the presence of family during invasive procedures (IPs) or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)? Until recently, surprisingly little research had addressed the issue of family presence at all, and to our knowledge, no other studies have been published that delineate patients’ perspectives.In February 2000, we first reported in this journal findings from our pioneering study, which demonstrated numerous benefits that bedside visitation confers on the families of patients undergoing these procedures. This article presents our further investigation—aimed at describing the experiences of the patients—using a qualitative research approach to analyzing data collected during that study.The study took place in the emergency department (ED) of a university-affiliated, regional, level-I trauma center. The protocol for family presence was adapted from guidelines developed by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA). Nine patients (eight who had IPs and one who underwent CPR) were also interviewed approximately two months after the emergency event. A semistructured questionnaire was used to determine their perceptions of the family presence experience.Seven themes emerged from the data. Three of these relate to the positive effects that family presence had on patients: it comforted them; provided help; and served, the patients believed, to remind providers of a patient’s “personhood”—he wasn’t just a patient; he was a person and had a family. Two themes involve how family presence reflects the reciprocal nature of patient–family bonds and the patient’s right to have family members present. The remaining two themes characterize how patients perceived the effects of the experience on their family members and on the health care environment. Patients saw both positive and negative effects on those who were present but believed the benefits to families outweighed the potential problems. Although further study is needed, family presence indeed appears to deliver many benefits, with apparently few drawbacks or adverse effects, to patients, their families, and their providers. In 1999, our institution, Parkland Health & Hospital System, approved a hospital-wide protocol for family presence during IPs and CPR.Corresponding author:Theresa MeyersPresbyterian Hospital of Dallas, Emergency Department8200 Walnut Hill LaneDallas, TX 75231TheresaMeyers@texashealth.org

Opening the Doors: Family Presence During Resuscitation

In most hospitals, family members are prohibited from being present during resuscitation because it is believed that they would be unable to cope with the crisis or that litigation might be fostered. This article challenges traditional thinking and proposes that a movement is underway fostering family presence during resuscitation because of nursings moral imperative to preserve the wholeness, integrity, and dignity of the family unit from birth to death. An overview of the family presence movement is presented that synthesizes current literature and research, examines risks and benefits, suggests guidelines for practice, shares experience, and proposes implications for the future.

Family Presence During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Invasive Procedures

Family presence (FP) during resuscitation and invasive procedures appears to have beneficial effects on patients, family members, and health care providers. This article describes the phenomenon of FP and presents studies to date on the topic and makes recommendations for translating the research into practice. Implementation strategies are suggested to effect this paradigm shift in family-focused care. Unanswered questions needing further research are also proposed.