Attitudes of Singapore Emergency Department staff towards family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lederman, Zohar; Baird, Geraldine; Dong, Chaoyan; Leong, Benjamin SH; Pal, Rakhee Y
• Is Part Of: Clinical ethics. Volume 12:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 124
• Page End: 134
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: Family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation -- end of life care -- cardiopulmonary resuscitation -- autonomy; Medical ethics -- Periodicals; 174.205
• DOI: 10.1177/1477750917706175
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-7509

Abstract

Background: Family presence during adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation is still not widely implemented. Based on empirical evidence, various national and international professional organizations recommend allowing relatives to be present during resuscitation. However, healthcare providers worldwide are still reluctant to make it standard care. Purpose: This paper is a part of an ongoing cross-cultural study that aims to solicit attitudes of healthcare providers working in emergency departments towards family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This paper reports the qualitative data from surveying healthcare providers working in an emergency department at a university-affiliated hospital in Singapore. Method: Healthcare workers were asked to fill out an online survey, including both quantitative and qualitative questions. Their attitudes were critically analyzed and compared with existing empirical data. Results: Majority of healthcare workers (71.6%) believed that relatives should not be present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 52% thought that relatives would not want to be present. Conclusion: Most emergency department doctors and nurses in Singapore do not support family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Their concerns included: family's possible interruption of patient care, the relatives' well-being, and their own interests, as well as limited physical space and resources. Most of these concerns do not stand in the face of existing empirical data or ethical scrutiny. We therefore recommend in favor of family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.