Abstract
PURPOSE: Scientific research and public opinion polls indicate that the majority of patients and their families believe that members of the patients' family should be offered the opportunity to be present during CPR, at the moment of their loved one's death, and throughout all aspects of emergency care. The study was designed to analyse the experiences and opinions of patients and family members towards Family Presence During Resuscitation (FPDR) in hospitals in Poland. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a survey related to FPDR among patients and their families during 5 months in 2017. That was preceded by a pilot study. We asked the patients and the people accompanying them to complete the questionnaire during admission to the hospital; 1000 questionnaires (500 patient responses and 500 family responses) were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Patients and their relatives more often wanted to be present during resuscitation of a loved one than they agreed to the presence of the family during their resuscitation. The vast majority of patients did not know the patient's rights regarding FPDR. 24.2% of patients and 29.2% of their relatives participated in the discussions on FPDR. The interest in FPDR indicated 29.0% of patients and 27.6% of family members. CONCLUSION: In our survey study, both patients and their family members had a negative attitude towards FPDR. Respondents (both patients and family members) had a low level of awareness that their potential to be present during CPR was included in the patient's rights.