Predicting nurses' intentions in allowing family presence during resuscitation: A cross-sectional survey

This study examined nurses' intention to allow family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) by applying the theory of planned behaviour with an extended concept.

Medical institutions, including nurses and other medical professionals working in emergency and intensive care units, are reluctant to allow FPDR. However, this practice reduces the family's anxiety and stress while fostering well-being and minimises their feelings of helplessness and distress by making them believe that they have helped the patient.

A cross-sectional descriptive design was used in this study.

The participants were 252 nurses who had been working for at least 3 months in a general hospital in South Korea. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires in April 2020 and were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. The instruments were intention to allow FPDR (five constructs: intention to allow FPDR, positive attitude, negative attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control), perception of FPDR and self-confidence. The STROBE checklist was used for reporting this study.

The mean score for the intention to allow FPDR was 3.47 out of 5. The regression analysis results indicated that perception of FPDR, positive attitude and negative attitude predicted the intention to allow FPDR.

It is necessary to develop educational programmes to change the perceptions of and attitudes towards FPDR. Additionally, written policies and protocols for FPDR in South Korea are needed to develop systematic care for patients' families during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The findings of this study provide baseline data for developing FPDR policies and guidelines that could minimise the family's distress and allow them to feel that they have helped the patient.