Summary: Should Families During Resuscitation

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Running head: DALY: SHOULD FAMILIES Should Families Be Present During Resuscitation Cheryl Daly University of Massachusetts Boston April 24, 2010 To Partially Met the Requirements of NU 362 Professor Dee George Should families be allowed during resuscitation efforts? This is the question on many medical professional minds. Will family presence disrupt the resuscitative efforts? Will family presence prolong resuscitative efforts when medical staff knows nothing else can be done? Will allowing family presence during resuscitation put medical staff at risk for increased litigation? Lastly, what are the effects on the families that have witnessed resuscitation; will this help the family grieve and find closure or just…show more content…
All families should be afforded the opportunity that this medical professional enables to her patients. Having policies and procedures in place can help facilitate that process. Laskowski-Jones (2007) felt the same, policies need to be in place, all families should be afforded the same opportunities, before a crisis happens. Laskowski-Jones (2007) discussed within the article the rare opportunity provided being a medical professional. Laskowski-Jones described an accident that her mother died at the scene and critically injured her father. Her father being brought to the hospital where she was employed, Laskowski-Jones was given the opportunity to see her father in the operating room just before being put under anesthesia. He was awake; Laskowski-Jones was able to express how much she loved him and not to worry. These would be that last words they spoke. Laskowski-Jones (2007) stated “I’m sure both my position in the hospital and my education as a trauma nurse allowed me a rare privilege that isn’t typically offered to families” (p. 47). This opportunity should be offered to all families, as a rule, and not the exception because of stature. The purpose of the review should families be allowed during resuscitation; was to investigate if medical professionals concerns were supported. Will families have emotional scars from the experience of witnessing resuscitative efforts or will the grieving process be…show more content…
To optimize patient and family outcomes during resuscitation, nurses who are confident of their abilities in managing family presence can be assigned to code teams, rapid response teams, and family care during resuscitations. In the same way, nurses who favor family presence and are confident of their ability to manage the practice may act as role models for novice nurses, mentor experienced nurses, teach family presence at the bedside, serve on code teams, and lead change in units that do not practice family presence during resuscitation. (p. 109) Ultimately, much more work is needed in regards to family presence during resuscitation efforts. As the study showed, nurses are all doing something different based on the level of self confidence they demonstrate. Research, with the institution of policies and procedures will be key factors in the advancement of family presence during resuscitation efforts. Ahmann and Dakken (2009) stated “as family presence in the hospital setting continues to change and evolve, given the right supports, family presence during resuscitation can be successful and beneficial.” (p.

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