Lewis's Medical Surgical Nursing in Canada, 5th Edition - Nursing Management: Emergency Care Situations Related

Review Lewis's Medical Surgical Nursing in Canada, 5th Edition - Nursing Management: Emergency Care Situations related questions and content

A patient's family members are in the patient room when the patient has a cardiac arrest and emergency personnel start resuscitation measures. Which of the following actions should the nurse take first?

  • A. Have the family wait outside the patient room with a designated staff member to provide emotional support
  • B. Keep the family in the room and assign a member of the team to explain the care given and answer questions
  • C. Ask the family members about whether they would prefer to remain in the patient room or wait outside the room
  • D. Advise the family members that patients are comforted by having family members present during resuscitation efforts
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Assessing family preferences first respects their emotional needs and informs subsequent actions. Some families benefit from staying, while others prefer to leave, and this decision guides whether to provide support in or out of the room.