The practice of family presence during resuscitation provides the opportunity to the family members to attend visually and physically with the patient during resuscitation. The concept of family presence during resuscitation empowers the family-centred care philosophy. However, allowing families during resuscitation is controversial among health care providers. Using predefined search terms, a systematic search was carried out on CINAHL, PubMed, Proquest, Meditext, Ebsco and MedLine. Of the references identified, 35 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. The included studies clearly highlight. The family members revealed a desire to their presence during resuscitation and indicated further benefits of their presence. Health care providers had different opinions, some refused the practice indicating that it would be offensive and may interfere with the treatment. Others believed that it would positively affect patient care and would reassure family that the best care is being provided. Both family members and health care providers showed a need for educational programs and written policies to facilitate family presence during resuscitation.
Part of the book: Resuscitation Aspects