Effect of family presence on pain and anxiety during invasive nursing procedures in an emergency department: A randomized controlled experimental study

Background: Patients generally prefer to have their family present during medical or nursing interventions. Family presence is assumed to reduce anxiety, especially during painful interventions. Aim: This study employed a randomized controlled experimental design to determine the effects of family presence on pain and anxiety during invasive nursing procedures. Method: The study population consisted of patients hospitalized in the observation unit of the internal medicine section in the emergency department of a university hospital. The sample comprised 138 patients assigned into the experimental and control groups by drawing lots. The invasive nursing procedure was carried out in the presence of family members, for members of the experimental group, and without family members, for members of the control group. Thus, the effects of family presence on pain and anxiety during the administration of an invasive nursing procedure to patients were analyzed. Results: The results showed that members of the experimental and control groups did not differ with respect to the pain and state anxiety scores during the intervention. Conclusion: Family presence does not influence the participants' pain and anxiety during an invasive nursing procedure. Thus, the decision regarding family presence during such procedures should be based on patient preference. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.