title: What does family-centred care mean to nurses and how do they think it could be enhanced in practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper is a report of the qualitative findings of a multisite survey in seven children's units in Ireland. In this survey, nurses caring for children identified their practice and perception of family-centred care.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  International research has identified inconsistencies with the provision and application of family-centred care in practice. Existing research studies illustrate barriers to family-centred care including nurses' attitudes to families and a lack of support and resources for the philosophy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive survey design was employed to collect data in 2008-2009. Questionnaires were distributed to nurses (n = 750) which yielded a response rate of 33% (n = 250). The nurses completed a 47-item questionnaire which examined nurses' perceptions and practices of family-centred care, the quantitative findings of this study will be reported in another publication. The questionnaire contained two open-ended questions and the data from these questions are reported here.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While nurses accept family-centred care as an ideal philosophy for the care of children and their families, the implementation of family-centred care in practice would seem to present challenges for nurses. The majority in this study indicated that they required further organizational and managerial support to fully implement family-centred care practices. Two interrelated themes were identified 'the components of family-centred care' and 'enhancing family-centred care'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To provide good quality family-centred care nurses need adequate resources, appropriate education, support for managers and support from other healthcare disciplines.
authors.affiliation: Children's Nursing/Research School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. coynei@tcd.ie
authors.forename: Imelda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Coyne
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Maryanne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Shea
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D005190:Family; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007494:Ireland; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D015279:Organizational Culture; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires