How to Search Hospitals Policies

[Cominginhot]

Hi all! There may be a better place to post this question and, if so, please help direct me there. Basically, I'm an ER RN at a busy level 1 trauma center and I have recently joined the committee to help develop a policy that enables family presence during resuscitation. I'm working on writing the policy and I have most of the information needed to do so, but I would like to try and review policies from other facilities. Does anyone know if searching for another hospitals policies is possible? I'm, obviously, not looking to plagiarize anyone but I do feel it would be helpful to compare/contrast our policy with theirs and to ensure we're not overlooking something that should be obvious.

As I said, please point me in the right direction if there is somewhere else where this question may get more attention.

Also, having said all of this, does you hospital have such a policy? If so, how does it work? Are you happy with the way your hospital does things? Are there things you'd like to see done differently? I will happily take your input and concerns to the committee and ensure that we have the most effective policy for handling such a delicate scenario.

Thank you all so much!

[Castiela]

Your best bet would probably be to reach out to educators/ managers at different hospitals and request to see copies of their policies and explain what you are trying to accomplish

[MunoRN, RN]

Most hospitals don't publicly share their policies, although there are number of more forward thinking hospitals that do. Regardless of the policies that other facilities have enacted, you're better off just looking at the potential basis for a policy for your hospital and then transitioning that evidence and rationale into a policy. I don't know of any facilities that currently prohibit family from being present during resuscitation, it's usually more a matter of how you adequately support family in that situation. The policy in places I've worked is that a chaplain is automatically called to every code, and that family support is an automatically assigned role just like scribe or medication pusher.

[JKL33]

The main concern has to do with the supports that will be provided, as mentioned above. In my mind that means that there is someone who receives the code/trauma page and responds solely for the family support role, not M-F from 8-3p or 9-5p, but 24/7/365. Depending on how the roles function in your facility that may be chaplain services; I prefer social work. Also, this person doesn't come to the room to see if there are any needs and then leave if things "look okay," but is effectively assigned to be there for the duration of the resuscitation procedure and the immediate aftermath.

Family may have certain needs or questions, and they deserve to be attended by someone not trying to concentrate on the resuscitation effort. Likewise, those caring for the patient deserve to have distractions keep to a minimum - which, most importantly, is also in the patient's best interest.