Psychological Impact of Family Presence during Resuscitation of Patients in Acute Care


Introduction

The Family members of patients encounter severe stress and apprehensions. They need consistent support and encouragement for the better recovery of their loved ones. The Nurses provide support to the family members during the resuscitation of patients. The literature is full of evidence that supports or discourage the family presence during the resuscitation of the patient. A few studies support the family presence during resuscitation while others discourage.
 The process of resuscitation cause an immense amount of stress on nurses, physicians, and the family members, and they require series of immediate well-planned actions to overcome the worst condition or prevent death (Hassankhani, Haririan, & Porter, 2017). Therefore, the current topic and articles for justifications have been selected to investigate the challenges and to avoid the adverse outcomes of family resuscitation about improve the quality of health care. Here the question arises if the family members should be allowed to present while during the resuscitation of the patient in the acute care setting.

Psychological Advantages of Family Presences during Resuscitation

The family presence during a patient’s resuscitation remains controversial in the literature in the recent times. Numerous studies indicate that parent’s presence positively affects the patient health both physically and psychologically. Family or patient-centered care and respect are a fundamental aspect of nursing practice (American Nurses Association, 2010). Nurses endeavor to offer holistic care approach to all patients and family members in all practice settings specifically in acute care. In severe cases, the patients and the family members of the patients marked persistent fear and anxieties towards health and illness and intervention modalities as well. Both the parents and patient need psychological and moral support to cope with the situation. The few studies indicate that family presence positively affects the mental outcome during resuscitation on both the parents and the patients (De Stefano et, al., 2016).
    The De Stefano et al., (2018) conducted a study to investigate the impact of the family presence and effective communication of family member with the patients during the cardiac resuscitation. The 75 members were interviewed to identify their experiences, and the results of the study indicated that the family presence decreases the pain of the resuscitation for both the patient and the family as well. Another study indicated that the parents of the patient report good signs and optimism while observing the resuscitation of their beloveds. According to a study, the patient care in the presence of their family member increases the probability of recovery ten times more than those patients whose guardians do not present in the resuscitation (Miller, & Stiles 2009). The psychological and moral supports have been found to be interlinked with the positive outcome of resuscitation. Numerous studies indicate that family member manifest an enormous sense of satisfaction while observing the process of resuscitation and feel obliged while fulfilling the needs of the patients.
 The literature also recommended that the family member wants to feel the pain or recovery of the patients and lack of awareness about the condition of the patient during the resuscitation of the patients enhances the feeling of irritability among family members. Although the considerable body of researchers highlights the advantages of family presence during the resuscitation, many studies also recommend disadvantages as well.

Disadvantages of Family Presence during Resuscitation

In contrast to the above study, the other reviews indicated that the presence of family member during the resuscitation negatively affect the consequences on the performances of the nurses and other healthcare professionals. The extensive studies have been carried out using many different variable and measurement tools to assess the relationship between family presence and the quality nurses performance during the resuscitation.  Literature provides extensive data on the disadvantages of family presence during the resuscitation of the patient.  Various studies provide a diverse variable that creates inconvenience in resuscitation are mentioned below. According to Powers, (2014) that the family presence during resuscitation deteriorates the self-confidence of the nurses that further leads to adverse consequences.
 The confidence of the nurses shattered with the family intervening and criticism. Some studies indicate that despite the lack of knowledge towards the resuscitation procedure, the family member of the patient recommends their suggestion to nurses for amendment and different direct approaches to heal the patient (Norton, Dimon, Knapp, Richards, Kelly and Frey 2007). Such inconvenience disturbed the nurses, and they feel discouraged. Several hospitals, disallow the family presence during resuscitation, and the healthcare professional makes all the decision to improve the Quality of Life of the patients.  The family member and guardian manifest excessive apprehensions, fear towards healthcare modalities, and interrupt the professionals conducting the series of action for health care recovery. Some health professionals recommended that however, the presence of family members not merely affect the effectiveness of the resuscitation, but also expose the minor mistakes that provide an opportunity to legislation and criticism (Mortelmans 2010). The nurses prefer the traditional approach of resuscitation, in which family members have to wait in the waiting room, and the nurses provide all the information regarding life-saving procedures and the status of the patients.
According to literature the performance anxiety, fear of criticism and mistake adversely affect the performance of the nurse (Lederman, & Wacht, 2014).  A study has been carried out to assess the pitfalls of parents present during the resuscitation, and the results of the study indicated that the stereotypes, unrealistic expectations, and extensive interruptions by the family member reduced the positive consequences of the study. Another dilemma that interferes with the outcomes of the resuscitation is the ambivalence in the selection of participation of the family member that can endure the ups and down while during the process (Miller, Stiles, 2009).
 The recent data suggested that the nurses reported that family member's shows non-acceptance to resuscitation approaches in acute care settings. Some comparative studies indicated nurses reported that the guardians of the patient show non-compliance while during the process of resuscitation (Miller, Stiles, 2009). The above evidence regarding the pitfalls of the family presence during the resuscitation process provides the right direction for disallowing them to attend the process. The health care professional, government and non-government organization should work for controlling the situation. The patient quality of health may enhance by taking a few cautious steps to facilitate the resuscitation process.

Conclusion

Although the substantial evidence in the favor or against the presence of family member comprised of some pores and corns. No doubt, the advantage of family presence leave the positive effect on the psychological well-being of the patient, but the literature recommends some disadvantages associated with the presence of parents during resuscitation. The pores and cons are more devastating and cause disturbances in achieving the desirable goal; therefore, I discourage the presence of parents during the resuscitation. The resuscitation is the sensitive and complicated process, any inconvenience and distraction may adversely affect the positive consequences. Therefore, the family member should not be allowed during the resuscitation of patients in acute care.