Family-Member Presence During Interventions in the Intensive Care Unit: Perceptions of Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Providers

Abstract

Should family members be present during interventions in an ICU? This question is a source of debate among health care providers. We propose to define perceptions and practice regarding family-member presence during ICU interventions from a multidisciplinary group of pediatric cardiac intensive care providers. A 20-question survey was created and distributed to attendees of the 2004 Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Symposium, 1 year after the meeting. Interventions were defined as noninvasive (team rounds), invasive (tracheal intubation, central/arterial line placement, chest tube placement, or pericardiocentesis), or extremely invasive (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). A total of 211 surveys (145 physicians and 66 nonphysicians) were completed. Of all responders, the majority believe family members have a right to be present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (75%), team rounds (77%), and invasive procedures (57%). Sixty-five percent of respondents encounter families that frequently request to be present for team rounds. However, the majority of respondents encounter families that rarely request to be present during invasive procedures (69%) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (73%). Many providers practice in ICUs where family-member presence is allowed; 64% allow family members to attend team rounds. Some of the concerns providers have regarding family-member presence in the ICU include family-member presence causing stress to the provider during invasive procedures along with distractions and nervousness among the team during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The majority of providers predict family-member presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation would not increase medicolegal concerns. Most respondents, nonphysicians more than physicians, believe that family members have a right to be present during all ICU interventions. The majority of respondents encounter families that frequently request to be present for team rounds. However, the majority of respondents encounter families that rarely request to be present during invasive procedures and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Most respondents believe family-member presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation would not increase medicolegal concerns.