title: Taking family-centered care to a higher level on the heart and kidney unit.
abstract: The Interdisciplinary team on the 15-bed Heart and Kidney Unit at a large 270-bed children's hospital in a metropolitan area wanted to achieve a higher level of family-centered care (FCC). We already had strong family support services, such as child life specialists, social work, and pastoral care, and we encouraged family input and involvement in their child's care, but we wanted to reach for a stronger approach to FCC. We began our journey by evaluating what FCC is and how it is actualized. The establishment of our Family Advisory Board enabled us to reach toward a higher level of FCC. As our journey has continued, we realize that one cannot underestimate the cultural change this journey necessitates. Changing attitudes, education, and supporting all involved are at times difficult to do, but very important.
authors.affiliation: Heart and Kidney Services, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: N Jill
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Titone
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sileo
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000523:psychology*; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004219:District of Columbia; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D022143:Family Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology; D016294:Models, Nursing; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012944:Social Support; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration*