Hidden in Plain Sight: Family Presence During Resuscitation on Prime-Time Media

Abstract

Family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) remains a highly contentious issue among professional caregivers in the acute setting. Generally, even though empirical evidence and professional guidelines support FPDR, healthcare providers instinctively oppose it. The origins of this recalcitrant opposition is likely to be multifold, but the media, which often exposes students of medical professions to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the first time, may be a significant contributing factor. More specifically, medical dramas play a potential role in the transmission of medical information and etiquette. The objective of the study described here was to examine the way family presence during resuscitation is depicted in current prime-time medical drama TV shows and to compare these to an older prime-time medical drama.