title: Family-centred care in paediatric and neonatal nursing--a literature review.
abstract: A literature review of family-centred care in paediatric and neonatal nursing was undertaken as part of a research project. This research intended to ascertain the knowledge and attitudes of paediatric and neonatal qualified nurses and nurse educators towards family-centred care as it pertains to infants and children in hospitals in the Gauteng Province. A definition of family-centred care is difficult to formulate mainly due to the lack of consensus about its meaning. Additionally, the diverse societal contexts within which family-centred care is applied further complicate its definition. Internationally in developed countries, family-centred care is viewed as care, which is parent-led in consultation with the nurse practitioner. A family-centred care model for the South African context needs to be developed with the focus on parent participation, a precursor of family-centred care. This article traces the early developments in parental care for hospitalised children with specific reference to the USA, the UK and South Africa. Precursor concepts in family-centred care are described followed by a cursory overview of the reality of family-centred care, its cultural dimensions and matters of family strengths and choices in family-centred care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Education, University of the Witwatersrand.
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Irlam
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bruce
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005181:Faculty, Nursing; D005192:Family Health; D022143:Family Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016294:Models, Nursing; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D013019:South Africa; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States