Family Presence During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
Johnie Leonard, MSN, RN, Emergency Department, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) was originally designed for persons who had sudden cessation of spontaneous pulmonary and cardiac function. As medicine has advanced, CPR is often included in the treatment of patients who are chronically or terminally ill. Survival rates for in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest to discharge vary between 15-20%. Therefore, many times patients receiving CPR will not survive. Offering family members to be present during resuscitation events has been studied to determine if there are benefits or any harm to families witnessing this intervention. Research has shown that allowing family presence helps decrease anxiety and wondering if everything was done for their loved one. Families have reported that being allowed to be present helped them through the grieving process. Studies investigating the medical personnel’s perceptions of allowing families to be present during resuscitation efforts have mixed reactions. Some health care providers believe allowing families to be present will cause panic and stress for families. Others thought that family presence might cause disruption of the resuscitation efforts. These perceptions have been unfounded. Studies have found that the health care team thought that families acted appropriately and were not a distraction during the event. The health care team also believed there was improved communication with the family by allowing family to witness the resuscitation attempt. Most of our resuscitation efforts occur in the critical care units and Emergency Department; therefore, family presence during CPR has been implemented in these units. Family members are offered the opportunity to be present during the resuscitation event. If the family member would like to be present a nurse stays with the family throughout the code describing who is present and what is happening. Families have expressed their gratitude for being there in the last moments of their loved one’s life.