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American Journal of Critical Care. 2007;16: 270-279
Copyright © 2007 by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.
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CE Article

Attitudes Toward and Beliefs About Family Presence: A Survey of Healthcare Providers, Patients’ Families, and Patients

By Christine R. Duran, APRN-BC, DNP, CNS, CCTN, Kathleen S. Oman, RN, PhD, CNS, Jenni Jordan Abel, RN, Virginia M. Koziel, RN, BSN and Deborah Szymanski, RN, BSN. Christine R. Duran was a Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Nurse Coordinator and Virginia M. Koziel was a nurse in the emergency department at the University of Colorado Hospital; Duran is now a clinical nurse coordinator in the Hematological Malignancies and Blood and Marrow Transplant Program and Koziel is a nurse in the postanesthesia care unit at the University of Colorado Hospital, Denver, Colo. Kathleen S. Oman is a research nurse scientist in the Professional Resources Department, Deborah Szymanski is an emergency department nurse, and Jenni Jordan Abel is a nurse in the surgical intensive care unit at the University of Colorado Hospital, Denver, Colo.

Corresponding author: Christine R. Duran, APRN-BC, DNP, CNS, CCTN, 1155 Ash St, #1204, Denver, CO 80220 (e-mail: Christine.Duran{at}uch.edu).

Background Although some healthcare providers remain hesitant, family presence, defined as the presence of patients’ family members during resuscitation and/or invasive procedures, is becoming an accepted practice. Evidence indicates that family presence is beneficial to patients and their families.

Objectives To describe and compare the beliefs about and attitudes toward family presence of clinicians, patients’ families, and patients.

Methods Clinicians, patients’ families, and patients in the emergency department and adult and neonatal intensive care units of a 300-bed urban academic hospital were surveyed.

Results Surveys were completed by 202 clinicians, 72 family members, and 62 patients. Clinicians had positive attitudes toward family presence but had concerns about safety, the emotional responses of the family members, and performance anxiety. Nurses had more favorable attitudes toward family presence than physicians did. Patients and their families had positive attitudes toward family presence.

Conclusions Family presence is beneficial to patients, patients’ families, and healthcare providers. As family presence becomes a more accepted practice, healthcare providers will need to accommodate patients’ families at the bedside and address the barriers that impede the practice.

Notice to CE enrollees:
A closed-book, multiple-choice examination following this article tests your understanding of the following objectives:
  1. Discuss current attitudes about family presence during resuscitation and/or invasive procedures.
  2. Review the current literature concerning family presence related to both healthcare providers and patients and patients’ families.
  3. Describe family presence survey results, conclusions, and recommendations.

To read this article and take the CE test online, visit www.ajcconline.org and click "CE Articles in This Issue."




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eLetters:

Read all eLetters

A Comment on Further Recommendations
Jennifer M. Woods
AJCC Online, 12 May 2007 [Full text]
Experience with Family Presence: Debriefing
Cheryl L. Birmingham, et al.
AJCC Online, 20 Jun 2007 [Full text]

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Copyright © 2007 by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.