Family presence during resuscitation is a hot topic. We are all faced with a better-informed public then ever before. allnurses recently discussed this topic with the expert: Dr Cathie Guzzetta.
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Cathie Guzzetta, PhD, RN, FAAN, is a nursing mentor, consultant and award-winning researcher who is focused on the importance of holistic care. She has served on the clinical faculty at George Washington University School of Nursing, Washington since 2007.
Dr. Guzzetta received the AACN Pioneering Spirit Award on May 16, 2016, at NTI 2016 as the preeminent nurse expert on family presence - and as the consummate mentor of pediatric patient care research by nurses at the bedside.
allnurses.com was fortunate to have the privilege of interviewing Dr. Guzzettaon the same day that she received her prestigious award. "I've worked on adult and pediatric family presence during resuscitation since 1994, " she stated to Mary, allnurses Community Manager during the interview. Nurses at that time questioned why families were not present during resuscitation. She related a story from earlier in her nursing career where family presence during resuscitation of a fourteen year old boy was honored, but the nurse was admonished and almost lost her job for doing so. She went on to reiterate the importance of family integrity during these very stressful situations.
Holistic Nursing
Holistic nursing is the framework for family presence and spans birth to death and emphasizes family involvement in every patient care unit. ICU is frequently the location where end of life decisions are made. Nurses that staff these units want to be the best of the best. So, utilizing family presence fits this goal of being at the top of their game.
Some holistic nursing techniques include
Visualization
Guided imagery
Distraction
Partnering with the patient to meet the outcome that the patient wants is also extremely important. This is relevant to both adult and pediatric patients and families. Nowadays patients and families demand family presence and shared decision making. With the advent of information readily available on the Internet, patients and families are better informed than ever before.
Family Presence During Resuscitation
Dr. Guzzetta relates that in pediatric resuscitation research shows that 97-99% of parents want to be present. In adult resuscitation the numbers are approximately 87%. However, in all instances the families' wishes must be honored and respected. Families often feel the need to be present but also experience some ambivalence during the event. Research has also proven that despite the fact that families wish they didn't have to make the decision about family presence, they are universally positive that they made the decision to be present. Sometimes this is the last act they can give their family members.
The Emergency Nurses Association has well established practice guidelines for family presence. AACN has also recently updated their guidelines as to family presence. These are all based on the latest research and provide much information for nurses.
We want to publicly thank Dr. Guzzetta for her time. Her research and authorship of many books on the subject of family presence have elevated nursing professionalism and brought this topic to the forefront of many discussions in the medical community.
What has been your experience with family presence?
Does your facility promote family presence and shared decision-making?
