Family presence is the term used when the family members of the patients are given the chance to see the medical operation of their relative. Parental presence during resuscitation is a point of debate in the health care practice due to the stable beliefs and stereotypes, all of which finally point to the threats an incompetent and poorly prepared for such experiences person might bring. The present review addresses the “triangle” ( providers’, patients’, family members’) beliefs concerning and attitudes towards the introduction of this practice for the families.
The studies that were conducted determine whether family presence is needed in a resuscitation operation. The study concluded that it had a positive effect on the family of the patient, and on the medical team which is composed of doctors and nurses. Statement of the Problem Family presence in medical terminology means the presence of a family member of a patient in the operation of the patient. Nowadays, the common time-honored practice of keeping family members away from the patient being resuscitated begins to disappear, as the role of families in the health and well-being of patients is crucial.
On the other hand, with respect to the novelty of the issue of family presence and comparatively insignificant spread of this practice, there exist a number of doubtful issues to be clarified by the empirical studies. First of all, the patients’ and their relatives’ attitudes and beliefs concerning family presence during resuscitation are not actually clear. In addition, it is also important to have information about nurses’ attitudes (possible prejudices) and the effects of family presence during resuscitation. The present literature review is designed to answer these questions.
Methodology There were many studies that were conducted to determine whether family presence will be prohibited or will benefit on the success on resuscitation operations in many hospitals. The independent variables for the study were the numbers of operations were the family is present in the on resuscitation operation while the dependent variable is the number of success operations. Another independent variable that was utilized in the survey was the effect of family presence on the family of the patient in terms of the psychological effect of witnessing the resuscitation.
Also, the effect of family presence was monitored in connection on the performance of the medical team that is responsible in the operation. Whether they prefer family presence or not. This experimental design will determine whether or not family presence is necessary on a resuscitation operation (Maclean, Guzzetta, White, & Fontaine, 2003). The population that was the medical team that is composed of doctors and nurses. The data on the opinion of the patient’s family was also gathered.
Though there are many healthcare institutions that permits family presence, most of these healthcare institutions has no written policy in allowing family presence. Also, some of the medical staffs like nurse are not aware if the hospital were they are serving permit family presence (Duran, Oman, Jordan, Koziel, & Szymanski, 2007). From the result of the surveys and studies, family presence produced the chance of the success of the operation. Family presence also produced many benefits not only on the family of the patient but also on the medical team like the doctors and nurses (Mian, Warchal, Whitney, Fitzmaurice, & Tancredi, 2007).
Family of the patient had less posttraumatic behavior, less anxiety and depression, and more constructive grief among family members who witnessed resuscitation. This is because, as they witnessed the resuscitation operation, they had prepared there selves on the possible outcome of the operation. This has also produce positive effect on the patient because the patient is given the courage to fight the operation thus resulting to the success of the operation. Family presence also provides the family of the patients the condition of the patients (Mian et al.
, 2007). According to the result of the survey, the medical team work more effectively after seeing the condition of the family as the family sees their patient. But there are also some nurses that do not prefer family presence. This is because, nurses who were often experience family presence will prefer it while on the other hand on those nurses that did not encounter yet family presence were shock and had a performance anxiety. The result also showed there were more nurses that preferred family experience than physicians (Duran et al. , 2007). Conclusion
To sum up, family presence in a resuscitation operation had a positive effect on the family as well on the medical team. The family who witnessed the resuscitation operation had the opportunity to see their relative as the patient undergo the operation. It had lessened possible traumatic condition of the family because they were prepared on the possible outcome. While on the other hand, nurses preferred more than the physicians. It is recommended that policies regarding on the presence of the family members must be done (Maclean et al. , 2003). Strength and Weakness
The articles that were used in the discussion have strength as well as weaknesses. The strength of the three articles is the reliability of the result that was obtained. This is because, the analysis part of the experiment or survey uses SPSS statistical program. This will result in to more reliable result due to less human error. Another strength of the articles is that, the authors are professional in the healthcare industry and are known to have many experiences in family presence in a resuscitation operation. Thus they can give their own experiences and opinion regarding on the topic.
Though the articles have strengths, still the three articles have also weaknesses. The response variable is not quantitative in nature but more on the qualitative. If the data collection is not properly done, the result will not be reliable. Also, the experimental design for a qualitative approach is harder and is prone to error than quantitative experimental design. References: Duran, C. R. , Oman, K. S. , Jordan, J. , Koziel, V. M. , & Szymanski, D. (2007). ATTITUDES TOWARD AND BELIEFS ABOUT FAMILY PRESENCE: A SURVEY OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, PATIENTS’ FAMILIES, AND PATIENTS.
American Journal of Critical Care 16(3). Maclean, S. , Guzzetta, C. , White, C. , & Fontaine, D. (2003). Family Presence During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Invasive Procedures: Practices of Critical Care and Emergency Nurses. American Journal of Critical Care 12(3). Mian, P. , Warchal, S. , Whitney, S. , Fitzmaurice, J. , & Tancredi, D. (2007). Impact of a Multifaceted Intervention on Nurses’ and Physicians’ Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Family Presence During Resuscitation. Critical Care Nurse, 27(1).