Research (EBP) shows that when family witnesses a code, they are reinsured that everything possible was done to save their loved one’s life. Numerous studies have been done determining whether relatives should be permitted to witness a code.

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I recently renewed my ACLS and completed the emergency department (ED) academy. Both had mentioned that research shows that allowing family to be nearby, present, updated, and involved in codes the less likely they are to take legal action post code. Research (EBP) shows that when family witnesses a code, they are reinsured that everything possible was done to save their loved one’s life. Numerous studies have been done determining whether relatives should be permitted to witness a code. Studies have even showed that family members who did not witness CPR efforts were 60 percent more likely to develop symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression later. “During resuscitation, family members are often escorted out of the room for fear of immediate and long-term consequences to the family, the patient, and the physician. However, mounting evidence suggests that family presence during resuscitation could, in fact, be beneficial. The Emergency Nurses Association and the American Heart Association endorse family-witnessed resuscitation and the development of hospital policies to facilitate this process. However, the opinions on family-witnessed resuscitation vary widely, and few hospitals in the United States have developed formal policies on the presence of families during cardiopulmonary resuscitation”(C Dana Critchell, Paul E Marik, 2017). During the height of COVID we only allowed one visitor a time for an actively dying patient or a critically ill patient that the physician had high suspicion of imminent death. However, we still allowed their presence during CPR, as well as other lifesaving interventions in compliance with EBP.
Critchell CD, Marik PE. Should family members be present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation? A review of the literature. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2017 Aug-Sep;24(4):311-7. doi: 10.1177/1049909107304554. PMID: 17895495.