Family presence during resuscitation: a survey of Japanese physicians’ views

Abstract Aim This study aimed to clarify physicians’ awareness of and attitudes toward family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) and related factors. Subject and methods A web-based questionnaire survey was conducted of 7859 physicians who were members of the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine (survey period: October 12, 2022, to December 31, 2022). Focusing on cardiopulmonary arrest, the survey questioned their awareness and attitudes, with a comparison of exogenous and non-exogenous patients. Results The proportion of respondents who have family present during resuscitation was 100 (25.0%) for exogenous and 105 (29.2%) for non-exogenous. The proportion who believed that the family’s acceptance of death is greater with FPDR was 255 (61.7%) for exogenous and 245 (65.7%) for non-exogenous. The proportion who believed that the family’s acceptance of death is greater with FPDR included a significantly higher number of respondents who had family present than in the proportion who believed that FPDR has no effect. The proportion who believed that the family is emotionally traumatized by FPDR was 251 (60.8%) for exogenous and 217 (58.2%) for non-exogenous. The proportion who believed that families are emotionally traumatized by FPDR included a significantly higher number of respondents who do not have family present than the proportion who believed that FPDR has no effect. Conclusion Various international resuscitation guidelines have recommended FPDR from an early stage to alleviate grief and prevent mental disorders. However, these guidelines are not always followed in Japan.