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Parent bed spaces in the PICU: effect on parental stress
Andrea B Smith1, Glenda C Hefley, K J S Anand
1Office of Grants and Research Administration, Cook Children'S Medical Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
Pediatric Nursing
|August 22, 2007
Summary
Providing overnight parent bed spaces in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) significantly reduces parental stress. This finding highlights the importance of parental presence for critically ill children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Parental well-being
- Hospital environment design
Background:
- Parental presence is crucial in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
- Limited accommodation for parents can increase their stress levels.
- The impact of dedicated parent sleeping spaces on parental stress is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the effect of parent bed spaces in the PICU on parental stress.
- To compare stress levels of parents with and without overnight access to their critically ill child.
Main Methods:
- A comparative descriptive study design was employed.
- Parental stress was measured using the Parental Stressor Scale: Pediatric Intensive Care (PSS: PICU).
- Data were collected from parents (n=86) before and (n=92) after the implementation of parent bed spaces in two children's hospitals.
Main Results:
- Parents utilizing the overnight parent bed spaces reported significantly lower stress scores (p = .02).
- The availability of parent bed spaces was associated with reduced parental stress.
- Continual parental presence in the PICU environment positively impacts parental stress.
Conclusions:
- New PICU designs incorporating parent bed spaces can effectively reduce parental stress.
- Facilitating continuous parental presence is a key factor in mitigating stress for families of critically ill children.
- Implementing family-centered care initiatives, such as parent sleeping accommodations, is beneficial.
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