Not watching CPR more traumatic than watching it

French researchers have announced the finding of a very interesting study.

For years, the medical community ushered patient's loved ones away from the patient so they did not have to experience the trauma of watching their loved one undergo CPR and attempt of resuscitation. The medical community felt that this was protecting the loved one. However, anecdotal accounts have shown that loved ones experience less trauma and achieve closure with the exeprience of watching the resuscitative attempt.

Now, French researchers have tested this theory. Working with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims, some loved ones were offered the opportunity to watch CPR. After a few months time, the researchers went back and questioned the loved ones. The researchers found a lower level of post-traumatic stress symptoms in those loved ones that watched CPR vs those that did not.

We still do not know if loved ones would find the same comfort in watching in-hospital cardiac arrest CPR.

This is a thought provoking study. I hope more research will be done on this topic.

I know the next time I will think twice about asking a family to leave the room when attempting to revive their loved one.