Nurses' perceptions of their self-confidence and the benefits and risks of family presence during resuscitation.
BACKGROUND
Debate continues among nurses about the advantages and disadvantages of family presence during resuscitation. Knowledge development about such family presence is constrained by the lack of reliable and valid instruments to measure key variables.


OBJECTIVE
To test 2 instruments used to measure nurses' perceptions of family presence during resuscitation, to explore demographic variables and perceptions of nurses' self-confidence and the risks and benefits related to such family presence in a broad sample of nurses from multiple hospital units, and to examine differences in perceptions of nurses who have and who have not invited family presence.


METHODS
Nurses (n = 375) completed the Family Presence Risk-Benefit Scale and the Family Presence Self-confidence Scale.


RESULTS
Nurses' perceptions of benefits, risks, and self-confidence were significantly and strongly interrelated. Nurses who invited family presence during resuscitation were significantly more self-confident in managing it and perceived more benefits and fewer risks (P < .001). Perceptions of more benefits and fewer risks were related to membership in professional organizations, professional certification, and working in an emergency department (P < .001). Data supported initial reliability and construct validity for the 2 scales.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses' perceptions of the risks and benefits of family presence during resuscitation vary widely and are associated with how often the nurses invite family presence. After further testing, the 2 new scales may be suitable for measuring interventional outcomes, serve as self-assessment tools, and add to conceptual knowledge about family presence.
Twibell
Renee Samples
RS
School of Nursing, Ball State University, Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie, IN 43704, USA. rtwibell@bsu.edu
Siela
Debra
D
Riwitis
Cheryl
C
Wheatley
Joe
J
Riegle
Tina
T
Bousman
Denise
D
Cable
Sandra
S
Caudill
Pam
P
Harrigan
Sherry
S
Hollars
Rick
R
Johnson
Doreen
D
Neal
Alexis
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000451:nursing*; D012649:Self Concept; D014789:Visitors to Patients