Improving the overall experience of hospitalisation by family presence during invasive procedures and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in children

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether family member presence (FMP) during invasive procedures (IPs) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) improves the hospi talisation experience of both the child and the family. The PICO question is: In the case of the paediatric patient, does the presence of parents during invasive procedures and cardiopulmonary resuscitation affect the overall hospitalisation experience of the child and the family? The inclusion criteria applied were: studies which focused on the paedi atric patient only (:S18 years); literature which focused on both chronically ill and previ ously healthy children; academic work which focused on IPs and CPR in the emergency department (ED) and paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), although the initiation of these two procedures need not have started in such settings. Conversely, the exclusion criteria were: studies which were not available in the English language; articles which were not in full text; literature reviews; studies which looked at parental presence (PP) at the induction of anaesthesia; and academic journals which introduced some form of inequality into the study. The tools used to critique were the CASP tool and the Guide lines for Critical Review of Qualitative Studies. Findings suggest that although parents believe their presence is helpful to the child, whether this is significant requires further evaluation. Parental distress is decreased if they are allowed to remain with their child. However, the possibility of psychological trauma, especially after witnessing CPR, still requires further assessment. Health care professionals' (HCPs) opinions in favour of PP are on a steady increase. Procedures are not affected through the presence of parents and so neither is the safety of the child. Education prior to the institution of evidence-based guidelines regarding FMP, which include a family facilitator, is recommended.