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we always allow relatives in during a resuscitation although worth checking first that they are a relative and not the next door neighbour or the taxi driver! conversely it is quite wrong to make people come into a resuscitation room if they do not actually want to .. and they often make a polite exit! even if the practical aspects of the patient care are not going that smoothly as long as the team look like they care and are trying then all efforts are appreciated may even stop a "team" from becoming dysfunctional and abusive (to each other)if there are visible members of the public in the room!! JohnC -----Original Message----- From: Nick Jenkins [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 8:25 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: relatives, resus and consent The presence of relatives during Resus is an old chestnut but, during conversation the other day, we touched on the issue of consent - maybe the patient wouldn't have wanted them there. In dealing with consent and the incompetent adult we will do what we consider best for the patient although it's good practice to talk to relatives etc. and get them on board. In a resus situation (lets say a cardiac arrest) having the relatives present is hardly for the benefit of the patient - it's for the benefit of the relatives - but is that where our duty of care lies in that situation? Children are clearly different. What do people think / has anyone already got the answer? Purely an academic discussion point and could even be argued by some as being a case of academia divorced from the real world - like most academic points there must be an answer and sooner or later it'll have a practical consequence for someone. At the moment it just doesn't 'fit properly' in the little pigeon holes in my head!! Nick Jenkins A&E Consultant Abergavenny http://www.ae-nevillhall.org.uk This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of the Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, delete it from your system, do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way. Please notify the sender immediately of this error. Further communication will signify your consent to this. ###################################################################### Attention: This e-mail is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient please delete the message and notify the sender. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author. ######################################################################