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Growing up in the hospital: Part I, Let's focus on the child
P W Wells1, M B DeBoard-Burns, R C Cook
1Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH.
Insights
Children with complex chronic illnesses are surviving longer, but prolonged hospital stays challenge their growth and development. Innovative pediatric nursing strategies are needed to support these children, families, and nurses during lengthy hospitalizations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nursing
- Child Development
- Chronic Illness Management
Background:
- Advances in medical technology enable survival of children with complex chronic illnesses.
- Prolonged hospitalizations are common due to complex care needs, diagnostic challenges, psychosocial issues, and resource limitations.
- Integrating growth and developmental needs is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of pediatric nursing for these children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the implications of lengthy hospitalizations on the growth and development of children with complex chronic illnesses.
- To identify challenges faced by children, families, and professional nurses during prolonged hospital stays.
- To propose innovative strategies for pediatric nursing practice to support these special children.
Main Methods:
- This article is part of a series addressing "growing up in the hospital."
- It involves a review of current pediatric nursing practices and challenges.
- Focuses on identifying implications and devising strategies for complex pediatric care.
Main Results:
- Major advances allow more children with complex chronic illnesses to survive.
- Discharge is often prolonged due to multifaceted care requirements and psychosocial factors.
- There is a need for innovative methods to address the developmental needs of hospitalized children.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric nurses face challenges in supporting the growth and development of children with complex chronic illnesses during extended hospitalizations.
- Strategies are required to assist children, families, and nurses in navigating lengthy and complex hospital courses.
- Integrating developmental care is essential for improving outcomes for children with chronic illnesses requiring long-term hospitalization.
Abstract:
Major advances in medical research and technology have made it possible for many children with complex chronic illnesses to survive, including those who just a few years ago would have died (Hobbs & Perrin, 1985). One goal of health care professionals who care for these children is, and continues to be, discharge of the child to the family and community whenever possible. Complex medical and nursing care, elusive diagnoses, complicated psychosocial issues, and inconsistent community resources often mean discharge must be prolonged. Focusing on the creation of innovative methods for integrating the growth and developmental needs of these special children is a challenging and often overlooked aspect of our pediatric nursing practice. This article is one of a series that will address the issues of growing up in the hospital. What are the implications for the child, family, and professional nurse? What strategies can we devise to assist our patients through what may be a very lengthy and complex hospital course?