In a prehospital setting, there are few moments as intense as the events that occur when trying to save a life. The presence of families during these resuscitation efforts has become an important and controversial issue in health care settings. Family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a relatively new issue in health care. Before the advent of modern medicine, family members were often present at the deathbed of their loved ones. A dying person's final moments were most often controlled by their family at home rather than by medical personnel (Trueman, History of Medicine). Today, families are requesting authorization to attend resuscitation operations. Members of emergency medical services are divided on this issue, emphasizing the benefits but also the potentially negative consequences of having family present during resuscitation efforts. A new study found that family members who observed resuscitation efforts were significantly less likely to experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress. , anxiety and depression than family members who did not. The results, published in an online article in the New England Journal of Medicine, titled “Family Presence During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation,” were the same regardless of patient survival. The study included 570 people in France whose family members were treated at home by emergency medical services. These EMS teams were unique in that they consisted of a doctor, a nurse trained in emergency medicine, and two emergency medical technicians. The study found that the presence of loved ones did not affect CPR outcomes, nor did it increase the stress levels of emergency medical teams. The presence of family also resulted in no... middle of paper ......if available, trained staff who can prepare family members for what they will witness, support them throughout the event and then lead them after the event concludes. The American Heart Association states that the goals of cardiopulmonary resuscitation are "to preserve life, restore health, relieve suffering, limit disability, and respect the decisions, rights, and privacy of the person." the individual” (AHA Guidelines for CPR). The practice of providing family members with the opportunity to be present during CPR is a controversial ethical issue in emergency medical services. Although the results of the study published on this subject in the New England Journal of Medicine clearly show no negative side effects linked to the presence of families during resuscitation attempts, the limitations of the study require additional research before it can be universally accepted..