IntroductionHealthcare is a dynamic environment in which consumerism thrives. Patients and their families are more educated and engaged in their care than ever before. The movement toward consumerism in health has created new ethical conundrums. The American Heart Association, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, Emergency Nurses Association, and other health care entities have all addressed the topic of family presence during resuscitation and/or invasive procedures . Clinicians and researchers have cited a multitude of ethical principles to support arguments for or against the presence of family during resuscitation. On the one hand, the presence of family can be unhealthy for the family and cause unwelcome stress for the provider in an already tense situation. However, on the other hand, families have the right to attend these events and this could be beneficial for closure and education. Health care team members need to evaluate both sides of the issue. Impact Statement Nurses are essential members of hospital resuscitation teams and, as such, the presence of family during the process has a direct impact on nursing care. Nurses represent the largest group of healthcare professionals in the country (IOM, ***). So it’s no surprise that they are considered the face of healthcare. Nurses not only provide direct patient care and education, but also frequently interact with their patients' families. In an intensive care situation, nurses are called upon to play a vital role. Families will likely turn to a familiar, comforting figure for advice and information during this stressful and critical time. The nursing staff must facilitate the care of the patient as well as the family who requires...... middle of paper ......compressions and endotracheal intubation. Some argue that inflicting this psychological trauma on family members contradicts the ethical principle of nonmaleficence. If a family member does not tolerate resuscitation well, it could interfere with the care provided to the patient and thus be detrimental to the patient. For example, ICU members may need to step away from patient care to help their family members. Another concern cited is that the presence of family could increase the stress felt by the resuscitation team and thus interfere with patient care. Beneficence and nonmaleficence are ethical principles that go hand in hand with overlapping citations of evidence. A distracted resuscitation team can potentially harm the patient. Additional stress placed on the resuscitation team is not in the best interest of individual members.