Spanish Speaking, Limited English Proficient Parents whose Children are Hospitalized: An Integrative Review

Children of non-English speakers are at risk for health disparities. Little is known about the experiences of Spanish speaking parents with limited English proficiency (LEP) whose children are hospitalized. The purposes of this integrative review were to explore what is known and to identify gaps in the literature about the experiences of Spanish speaking parents with LEP whose children are hospitalized.

Whittemore and Knafl's (2005) integrative review method guided the process. Studies addressed Spanish speaking parents of hospitalized children in the United States.

A final sample consisted of 36 quantitative and qualitative research studies published from 1994 to 2018; located through a search of CINAHL, Pubmed, and Scopus.

Language services were inconsistent although mandated by standards and laws. Parents experienced mixed emotions related to care. Emergency departments in large, urban cities were the most common care settings. Differences in care outcomes and safety risks for children of Spanish speaking parents existed; however, findings were inconsistent. Only three of the 36 studies addressed nursing care.

Research design and quality varied. Parents valued communication in their language. Nurses are the primary healthcare provider in the hospital setting but few studies explored parents' experiences associated with nursing care. No studies explored parents' experiences with their child's hospitalization in the context of culture.

Future research is needed to explore the cultural values, beliefs, and experiences of Spanish speaking parents with LEP and the role of nurses and to inform culturally congruent nursing care, research, and policy.