Modeling family-centered pediatric nursing care: strategies for shift report

Family-centered care philosophies place the family as central to the plan of care. These philosophies are often challenging for nurses to put into clinical practice. The purpose of this article is to provide interventions for nurses to use with families who are stressed.

Families' coping styles may be subject to judgments from the nurses, and these judgments may be passed on during shift report. Labels that are passed on in report can influence nurses' care.

This article describes positive communication strategies for shift report that can facilitate successful family-centered care.