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Sibling visitation: research implications for pediatric and neonatal patients
1Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21215, USA. tonya@ix.netcom.com
Insights
Sibling visitation in hospitals benefits children by improving their activity and communication. This review found minimal risks, supporting more liberal visitation policies for non-hospitalized siblings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nursing
- Family-Centered Care
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- Limited research exists on the impact of sibling visitation on non-hospitalized children.
- Existing studies primarily focus on Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) settings.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for developing supportive hospital policies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize existing research on the effects of sibling visitation for non-hospitalized siblings.
- To identify benefits, risks, and gaps in the current literature.
- To inform healthcare professionals and policymakers about sibling visitation.
Main Methods:
- An integrative review of studies concerning sibling visitation.
- Inclusion of studies from various hospital settings including NICU, adult ICU, postpartum, and pediatric units.
- Synthesis of findings related to child outcomes and safety.
Main Results:
- Children who visited their hospitalized siblings showed improved activity levels.
- Visiting siblings demonstrated increased communication about their hospitalized brother or sister.
- Visitation did not lead to a higher frequency of infectious signs or symptoms in the hospitalized newborns.
Conclusions:
- Sibling visitation offers clear benefits with minimal risks for non-hospitalized children.
- Findings support the implementation of more liberal sibling visitation policies in healthcare settings.
- Nurses play a key role in advocating for and establishing these policies.
Abstract:
Little research has been published addressing the effects of sibling visitation on the nonhospitalized sibling. This integrative review synthesizes the studies and has been summarized to include findings, gaps, and limitations. The majority of research regarding the benefits of sibling visitation has come from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This summary, however, includes one study set in the NICU, one set in an adult ICU, two on a postpartum floor, and one based on siblings of pediatric patients. Findings indicate that children who visited their sibling exhibited improved activity levels, spoke more about their siblings, and did not increase the frequency of infectious signs and symptoms in the newborn siblings. Implications for research utilization include the identified benefits and minimal risks of sibling visitation. Nurses have a vital role initiating and implementing policies that incorporate more liberal sibling visitation.
