American Journal of Critical Care. 2007;16: 283
The AJCC Patient Care Page is a service of the American Journal of Critical Care and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Designed to elaborate AACN practice guidelines based on content in select articles, this page may be photocopied noncommercially for use by readers in their work-place, in continuing education programs, or for distribution to colleagues, patients, or patients’ families. To purchase bulk reprints, call (800) 899-1712.
Family Presence During CPR and Invasive Procedures
By
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AACN Practice Department, Editors
Family members of all patients undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and invasive procedures should be given the option of being present at the bedside, but only 5% of critical care units in the United States have written policies allowing family presence.
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Here’s what you can do:
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Ensure that your healthcare facility has written policies and procedures that support family presence during CPR and invasive procedures. Include the following components in new policies, procedures, and educational programs:
- Benefits of family presence for the patient and family.
- Criteria for assessing the family to ensure uninterrupted patient care.
- Role of the family facilitator (eg, nurses, physicians, social workers, chaplains) in preparing families for being at the bedside and supporting them before, during, and after the event.
- Support for the patient’s or family members’ decision not to have family members present.
- Contraindications to family presence (eg, family members who demonstrate combative or violent behaviors, uncontrolled emotional outbursts).
- Develop proficiency standards for all staff involved in family presence.
- Determine your unit’s rate of compliance in offering families the option of family presence during CPR and invasive procedures. If compliance is less than 90%, develop a plan to improve compliance.
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Other helpful resources:
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- Call the AACN Practice Resource Network at (800) 394–5995, ext 217.
- Presenting the Option of Family Presence, 2nd edition (product #120632). Available online from the AACN Bookstore, www.aacn.org.
- Critical Care Family Assistance Program: Replication Toolkit (product #120631). Available online from the AACN Bookstore, www.aacn.org.
- Davidson and colleagues, "Clinical Practice Guidelines for Support of the Family in the Patient-Centered Intensive Care Unit: American College of Critical Care Medicine Task Force 2004–2005" (abstract available at: www.ccmjournal.com).
Adapted from an AACN Practice Alert issued November 2004 (available at www.aacn.org) and published as a supplement to the article by Duran and colleagues, "Attitudes Toward and Beliefs About Family Presence: A Survey of Healthcare Providers, Patients’ Families, and Patients" (American Journal of Critical Care. 2007;16:270–282).
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