• Tess Loch, Ian R Drennan, Jason E Buick, Danielle Mercier, Peter G Brindley, Mark MacKenzie, Thilo Kroll, Kate Frazer, Matthew J Douma, and Family Centred Cardiac Arrest Care Project.
• University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, AB, Calgary, Canada.
• CJEM. 2023 Mar 1; 25 (3): 233243233-243.

ObjectivesThe objectives of this project were to collect and analyze clinical governance documents related to family-centred care and cardiac arrest care in Canadian EMS organizations; and to improve the family-centredness of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest care through experience-based co-design.MethodsWe conducted qualitative document analysis of Canadian EMS clinical governance documents related to family-centred and cardiac arrest care, combining elements of content and thematic analysis methods. We then used experience-based co-design to develop a family-centred out-of-hospital cardiac arrest care policy and procedure template.ResultsThirty-five Canadian EMS organizations responded to our requests, representing service area coverage for 80% of the Canadian population. Twenty documents were obtained for review and six overarching themes were identified: addressing family in event of in-home death, importance of family, family member escort, provider discretion and family presence discouraged. Informed by our qualitative analysis we then co-designed a policy and procedure template was created that prioritizes patient care while promotes family-centredness.ConclusionsThere were few directives to support family-centred care by Canadian EMS organizations. A family-centred out-of-hospital cardiac arrest care policy and procedure template was developed using experience-based co-design to assist EMS organizations improve the family-centredness of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest care.© 2023. The Author(s).

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