A phenomenological study exploring pediatric hospitalization: The voices of accompanied and unaccompanied hospitalized children.

PURPOSE: Most children go through their childhood without being hospitalized. For a child, being hospitalized may be a disturbing and unfamiliar experience. Pediatric institutions promote parental presence and family-centered care, yet not all parents are able to stay with their children. Holding the child's voice central to the phenomenon, the aim of this study was to explore how parental accompaniment and absence shape a child's hospitalization experience. DESIGN AND METHODS: A phenomenological study was implemented, and children ages 7-11 years old were included if they were in the hospital for at least 24 h with a parent present or 12 h without a parent present. Deriving from the interviews of children, themes were identified to unearth the meaning of children's lived experiences. RESULTS: Twelve school-age children shared their hospitalization experiences. The findings of this study are organized around the following themes: (a) participating in care; (b) being on the road to recovery; (c) being a kid, still; (d) being accompanied - having a familiar face; and (e) being unaccompanied - yearning but understanding. CONCLUSIONS: Being in the hospital was not significantly different when parents were absent, but children preferred their parents to stay. Being in the hospital was not a negative experience. Hospitalized children were attentive, independent, understanding, and resilient. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Children in this study illuminate the need to listen to children's voices. Understanding the experiences of hospitalized children provides pediatric nurses with insight on supporting the patients and families they care for.

Willing But Not Quite Ready: Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Research in an Academic Healthcare System.

OBJECTIVE: To describe nurses' research knowledge, attitudes, and practices within an academic hospital system. BACKGROUND: Hospitals are investing in research resources to meet Magnet® goals and advance the science of nursing, but nurses' specific needs for support are not well characterized and may vary by setting. METHODS: We conducted an anonymous online survey of RNs at an academic hospital system in 2019-2020 using the validated Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Research Survey. RESULTS: Respondents (N = 99) indicated high willingness to engage in research-related tasks but low or moderate knowledge of and ability to perform them. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of research increased with level of education, although gaps between willingness to engage versus knowledge and ability persisted even among doctorally prepared nurses. CONCLUSIONS: Research support for clinical nurses should leverage enthusiasm for research and focus on developing and applying specific practical skills, even among nurses with advanced degrees.

Everyone is Someone's Child: The Experiences of Pediatric Nurses Caring for Adult COVID-19 Patients.

PURPOSE: During the COVID-19 pandemic, pediatric nurses at one medical center in New York assumed care of COVID-19 adult patients. The purpose of this study was to understand pediatric nurses' experiences during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when they were caring for patients outside of their usual practice. DESIGN AND METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study was implemented, and a descriptive survey was sent to all pediatric nurses who worked during the peak of the pandemic, from March 2020 - May 2020. Categorical responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and free texts were coded to develop central themes. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the data: concerns for safety, unprepared to care, nurses' emotional responses, and persevering together. CONCLUSIONS: As pediatric nurses adjusted to caring for a new disease and a new population of patients, concerns of safety and preparedness emanated. The need for teamwork and support was emphasized by nurses. The impact that nurses' experiences had on their emotional wellbeing was also highlighted. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Exploring pediatric nurses' experiences during a pandemic is important, as it furthers understanding and guides efforts to enhance preparedness for a future pandemic or public health emergency. Findings from this study illustrate the need to provide nurses with support for both their physical and emotional health.

Unaccompanied Hospitalized Children: An Integrative Review.

PROBLEM: A child's hospitalization is often associated with stress that is exacerbated when the child is left unaccompanied by parents/caregivers. Parental presence, as part of a family-centered approach to care, is a strategy to mitigate the stressors and negative effects of hospitalization. However, due to a variety of circumstances, some children continue to remain unaccompanied in the hospital. This integrative review explored the phenomenon of unaccompanied hospitalized children. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Relevant articles available in full-text and written in English were identified through electronic searches of CINAHL, PubMed, and PsycINFO and through hand searches of reference lists. SAMPLE: Eleven studies were included, analyzed, and synthesized into themes. Study quality was assessed using Bowling and Pearson's appraisal checklists. RESULTS: Distress of hospitalized children is evident when children are unaccompanied in the hospital and left to experience the stressors of hospitalization alone. The compounding effects of hospitalization and separation can cause distress and psychological trauma during and after the hospitalization period. Pediatric nurses strive to provide care to unaccompanied children that lessens these negative effects. CONCLUSIONS: Unaccompanied hospitalized children represent a vulnerable population. While the literature provides some insight into the experiences, research does not adequately explore the unaccompanied hospitalized child's experience. IMPLICATIONS: Pediatric nurses hold a position that enable them to support the physical and psychosocial needs of unaccompanied hospitalized children. By recognizing and addressing the stressors and distress unaccompanied children experience, nurses can help alleviate the subsequent effects resulting from separation and hospitalization.