Spirituality and Support for Family Presence During Invasive Procedures and Resuscitations in Adults

Abstract

Background Many health care professionals believe that they provide holistic care. The role of spirituality, a known variable of holism, has not been explored in relation to the support among health care professionals for family presence during invasive procedures and resuscitative efforts in adults.Objective To determine the relationship between spirituality of health care professionals and their support for family presence during invasive procedures and resuscitative efforts in adults.Methods In this descriptive correlational study, 108 participants (physicians, physician assistants, and nurses) completed the Howden Spirituality Assessment Scale and a survey to measure their support for family presence.Results A significant positive relationship was found between spirituality and support for family presence during resuscitative efforts in adults (r = 0.24, P = .05) and a significant negative correlation was found between support for family presence and the age of the health care professional (r = − 0.27, P = .01). No significant correlations were found between any of the study variables and invasive procedures in adults.Conclusions Adopting a more holistic perspective may support family presence, especially during resuscitative efforts in adults. Allowing the option for patients’ families to remain present promotes holistic family-centered care.