Exploring emergency nurses’ attitudes toward family presence during resuscitation: A cross-sectional study in Southwest China

Several medical institutions and associations in developed countries support family presence during resuscitation (FPDR); however, in China, FPDR has not been implemented, clear policies do not exist, and few studies have examined it. Therefore, this study investigates emergency nurses’ FPDR perceptions and their influencing factors. A total of 315 emergency nurses from Sichuan Province, China, completed a general questionnaire and the Chinese versions of the Family Presence Risk–Benefit and Family Presence Self-Confidence Scales. A t-test and chi-squared test were conducted for intergroup comparisons, and an analysis of variance assessed multiple classification data. Multiple linear regression analysis explored factors associated with the benefits and risks of FPDR. Of the 382 questionnaires distributed, 315 valid responses were collected (valid response rate = 82.46%). Years of working in emergency nursing, holding an emergency specialist nurse certificate, and the number of times family members were invited during resuscitation were associated with perceived benefits and risks of FPDR ( p  < .05). Perceived benefits were negatively correlated with perceived risks and positively correlated with perceived resuscitation confidence (r = .51, p  < .001). To promote the implementation of FPDR, nursing managers should develop implementation guidelines, reshape perceptions among medical staff, and respect family members’ needs.