[viklou]

Does anyone have any experience or input about family presence during cpr? Thanks!!

[AmandaWIRN]

I absolutely hate it- I understand it might be good for families to see that "everythng was done" for their loved one, but most of the time they are freaking out, and it's very distracting. IF they are going to be present, one staff member (a NURSE, not a non-medical person like a chaplain) needs to be with them to explain what's going on & why we are doing what we're doing. But I would much rather not have them in there at all.

[NavyJim58]

If you are referring to "in the hospital" the family should not be in the room or watching. Someone should always take the family out. If in the ER they are never allowed to be present during the code. Someone should be with them though if possbile. If a code happens on a medical floor.....same thing......our rapid response team knows to escort the family out of the room.

[virgil rn]

Hello from virgil rn.
I have been involved in code situations with and without family presence.
During family presense I felt more pressure.you can feel the loved ones anxiety,and if the code is not going well the pressure mounts even more.
A code is a stressfull situation all by itself,however the family has the right to see that everything was done.The danger is that the untrained eye may not understand what is going on,and we all now that if there is no electrical activity the outlook is poor.Our jobs as medsurg nurses or any clinical staff trained in cpr is to give high quality cpr.

[TomB]

I work ER and we encourage parents to be in the room during codes of peds patients. If the immediate family isn't getting in the way we do not remove them - no matter what the age of the patient. I think this is a great policy, but I guess I may be alone here.

[Ricu]

Hi Tom,

I've been in many codes of patients of all ages from newborn to very aged and I join you in your sentiment regarding family presence. I believe that family should be allowed to be present if they wish to be there and I believe that someone needs to be there for the sole purpose of supporting them. This individual needs not be, in my opinion, medically trained. The chaplain is an excellent person if he or she is available. People in distress need a comforting presence maybe prayer, maybe not. A savvy chaplain can discern this and act accordingly. The family will likely not be asking critical questions about the technical aspects of ACLS. They would be more inclined to be concerned about whether their loved one is suffering during the procedure or will have any memory of it should he or she survive. When the resuscitation is over, successful or not, the physician speaks the family and then leaves. The nurse can offer only a few minutes more before returning to the other patients so, then what? There's the chaplain again, or another member of the Pastoral Care service. We heavily rely on them in our facility.

R

[cassioo]

There is all kinds of research and current articles about family presence during a code. I really think it's a case by case basis. Luckily I haven't had a code in L&D.... only close.

[TomB]

Ricu, I forgot to mention that we have one medical staff with the person/family in the room during the code explaining everything (or not - it depends). If there isn't anyone available we take them out.

Surprisingly (to me, anyway) there are a great deal of family members that opt to not see the code - but we do try to make that option availabe to anyone who wants it.

Tom

[Ricu]

Originally Posted by TomB

Ricu, I forgot to mention that we have one medical staff with the person/family in the room during the code explaining everything (or not - it depends). If there isn't anyone available we take them out.

Surprisingly (to me, anyway) there are a great deal of family members that opt to not see the code - but we do try to make that option availabe to anyone who wants it.

Tom

Hi again, Tom,

I've seen a number of family witness the codes but still many who don't. It's seems to be a more recent trend. I wonder if it often depends on how sick the patient is and whether the family has seen it before.

R

[teaberry]

I find the whole idea of families present at codes a difficult concept to relate to. Between administering shocks, intubating, inserting lines, drawing gases - these are all insults of one kind or another to witness happening to a loved one. Add to the mix the ever-present possibility of vomitus, bleeding, central cyanosis, even cracking the chest, and I just have to ask - why would anyone want to see their loved one undergoing this, and how in the world did this family presence idea ever come to be?