2019 Volume 29 Issue 1 Pages 95-102
A program that allowed family members to be present during resuscitation was started in America in 1982, in response to the demands of the family members of patients. The advantages and disadvantages of family presence during resuscitation from the perspectives of patientsʼ family members, healthcare providers and patients are reported. Although the American Heart Association and the European Resuscitation Council support offering family members the choice to be present during resuscitation, its ethical grounds have not been fully examined. This paper examines the validity of the argument based on the standards of surrogate decision making when the patient undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has not expressed any wish for family presence. In conclusion, the argument based on the standards of disclosure is valid, rather than surrogate decision making.
