How Families and Health Care Practitioners Experience Family Presence during Resuscitation and Invasive Procedures

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Research
• Qualitative Research
• Patient Experience

Background:

• The debate surrounding family presence during resuscitation and invasive procedures is ongoing in medical literature.
• Understanding the experiences of both families and healthcare practitioners is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize research evidence on family and healthcare practitioner experiences with family presence during resuscitation and invasive procedures.
• To explore the perspectives of those directly involved in these critical care situations.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of qualitative studies (1985-2009) including phenomenology, ethnography, and grounded theory.
• Rigorous quality assessment by two independent reviewers using Joanna Briggs Institute tools.
• Data extraction and meta-synthesis using the Joanna Briggs Institute's meta-aggregation approach.

Main Results:

• 25 qualitative studies were included, yielding 154 findings.
• Findings were synthesized into 14 categories and 5 overarching synthesized findings.
• Identified a conflict between family's perceived right to be present and practitioners' desire for control.

Conclusions:

• Families often view presence as a right, seeking comfort and closure, contrary to practitioner concerns about psychological trauma.
• Evidence does not support the notion that family presence causes psychological harm to families.
• The findings highlight the need for clear policies and communication regarding family presence during critical events.