Unaccompanied Hospitalized Children: An Integrative Review

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Child Psychology
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Hospitalization is a significant stressor for children, often intensified when they are unaccompanied by parents or caregivers.
• Family-centered care, emphasizing parental presence, is a strategy to reduce hospitalization-related stress.
• Despite efforts, some children remain unaccompanied in the hospital due to various circumstances.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the phenomenon of unaccompanied hospitalized children.
• To understand the experiences and challenges faced by children hospitalized without parental accompaniment.

Main Methods:

• An integrative review of relevant literature was conducted.
• Electronic databases (CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO) and reference lists were searched for English, full-text articles.
• Eleven studies were included, analyzed, and synthesized, with quality assessed using appraisal checklists.

Main Results:

• Unaccompanied hospitalized children exhibit significant distress due to the stressors of hospitalization experienced alone.
• The combination of hospitalization and separation can lead to psychological trauma during and after the hospital stay.
• Pediatric nurses actively work to provide care that minimizes the adverse effects on unaccompanied children.

Conclusions:

• Unaccompanied hospitalized children constitute a vulnerable population requiring specialized attention.
• Current research inadequately addresses the full scope of the unaccompanied hospitalized child's experience.
• Pediatric nurses are well-positioned to address the physical and psychosocial needs of these children, alleviating distress and its consequences.