Support for rural families of hospitalized infants: the parents' perspective.
The provision of family-centered care in the hospital arena has become a national commitment. Recognizing and supporting the family's role means evaluating whether attitudes, policies, and practices address the immediate and the long-term needs of the total family rather than just the current needs of the child. Results of a study to determine parents' perceptions of supportive services available in the hospital immediately following the birth of their child with special health care needs are reported. In-depth interviews with mothers living in rural areas were conducted. Mothers emphasized the importance of access to their child; the need for timely, honest, straightforward information about their child's condition and progress; the intense emotional reaction to the intensive care environment; and the importance of an early link to community-based early intervention services. Overall, parents conveyed the importance of recognizing the family as an integral part of the child. Implications and recommendations for family-centered services are discussed.
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262.
L L
LL
Flynn
J
J
McCollum
D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D015285:Hospital-Patient Relations; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D012424:Rural Population; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014195:Travel; D014481:United States; D014789:Visitors to Patients