Learning Objective #1: Describe the relationships between nurses’ perceptions about family-witnessed resuscitation and nurses’ decisions to invite family presence during resuscitation

Learning Objective #2: Discuss the relationships between nurses’ perceptions about family-witnessed resuscitation and demographic variables of nurses

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Nurses play key decision-making roles regarding the presence of families at the bedside of patients undergoing resuscitation. However, little is known about the factors that influence nurses' decisions to invite families to be present. Prior research, which has focused primarily on nurses who work in critical care settings, reveals nurses' conflicting perspectives about family-witnessed resuscitation (FWR). The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of nurses' decisions to facilitate FWR. Specifically, the study examined the relationships among nurses' perceptions of risk, benefit, self-efficacy, and self-report of the frequency with which nurses invited families to be present during resuscitation. Bandura's (1978) theory of self-efficacy and Hammond's (1988) Cognitive Continuum theory of decision-making guided this exploratory study.

The sample (n=109) included nurses from a variety of inpatient units who completed the Family Presence Self-Efficacy Scale and the Family Presence Perceptions Scale. Two hypotheses were supported. Nurses who had invited family presence more than five times reported greater self-efficacy, greater perceived benefit and less perceived risk than nurses who had never invited families to be present during resuscitation (p < .05). Nurses who perceived greater confidence in their ability to provide patient and family care also perceived less risk (p < .001) and more benefit (p < .001) to FWR. Perceptions of self-efficacy, risk and benefit did not vary with nurses' age or experience but were related to education, role, and type of unit on which nurses worked (p < .05).

The findings suggest that nurses' decisions to facilitate FWR are correlated with nurses' perceived risk and benefit of FWR and with nurses' confidence that they can care well for patients and families during resuscitation. Educators, managers and researchers can design and test approaches for building nurses' confidence in FWR skills and can encourage nurses to reflect on perceptions that influence decision-making.