title: Parents' experiences of family functioning, health and social support provided by nurses--a pilot study in paediatric intensive care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to describe parents' experiences of family functioning, health and social support provided by nursing personnel, while their child was in intensive care, and to determine how social support was associated with family functioning and family health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire from 31 parents of critically ill children from 2010 to 2011. The data were analysed statistically.
  
  
  METHODS
  The parents considered their family functioning, health and social support provided by the nursing personnel to be good.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sub-area of family functioning that rated the lowest was strengths of family, whereas the lowest rated sub-area of family health was ill-being. Child's previous hospital treatments were associated with family health. Parents, whose child had already been in hospital care, reported more well-being and less ill-being than parents with children hospitalised for the first time. Parents' education was associated with family functioning, family health and social support given by the nurses. Weak positive correlation was also found between social support given by nurses and family health experienced by parents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a need to discuss how nursing care can further support parental resources.
authors.affiliation: Tampere University of Applied Sciences, School of Health Care, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere University Hospital, ICU, Finland. Electronic address: nora.hakio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hakio
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, School of Health Sciences, Nursing Science, Finland. Electronic address: anja.rantanen@uta.fi.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rantanen
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, School of Health Sciences, Nursing Science, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Science Center, Finland. Electronic address: paivi.astedt-kurki@uta.fi.
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Åstedt-Kurki
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, School of Health Sciences, Nursing Science, Finland. Electronic address: tarja.suominen@uta.fi.
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suominen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D064648:Critical Care Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D022143:Family Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Child; Family functioning; Family health; Family-centred care; Intensive care; Social support