Children visiting members of their family receiving treatment in ICUs: a literature review.
Occasionally people ask if children can visit members of their family who are patients in our intensive care unit (ICU). To allow us to devise a unit policy based on research, the author felt it necessary to review literature concerning child visitors to ICUs, more specifically the reasons why they should or should not be allowed to visit. Unfortunately very little has been written about the effects of visits to ICU on children; so it was felt that it would be beneficial to review the literature concerning child visitors to wards other than ICUs, as well, and also review the reasons behind hospital visiting policies for adults. The literature reviewed suggested that no reasons have been found not to allow children to visit but that advice should be given to the parents allowing them to come to the final decision. If the parents then decide to allow the child to visit, further support for all the family should be given.
Johnstone
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D002648:Child; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D016134:Organizational Policy; D002666:Psychology, Child; D014789:Visitors to Patients