Changing the Concept of Families as Visitors: Supporting Family Presence and Participation
This publication serves as a practical resource to assist hospital units and institutions in re-envisioning "visiting" policies in favor of guidelines that support family presence and participation. A wealth of examples highlight the successful move towards a more family- centered environment in adult and pediatric hospital settings. This guidance publication offers practical strategies and includes checklists and assessment tools useful in the process of creating change. Topics include everything from the history of hospital policies to innovative architectural design.
Item No. 32084, Price $40.00
12 copies, Item No. 32184, Price $440.00
Changing the Concept of Families as Visitors: Supporting Family Presence and Participation
Table of Contents
How to Use This Resource
Introduction
Understanding the Historical Context for Visiting Policies
Offers a brief historical perspective on hospital visiting policies - including newborn intensive care, pediatrics, maternity, adult critical care, emergency department, and end of life care.
Benefits of Family Presence and Participation: The Literature
Reviews literature addressing negative effects of restrictive visiting policies as well as literature documenting benefits of family presence for hospitalized infants, children, and adults, and their family members.
Addressing Barriers to Family Presence and Participation
Reviews literature addressing commonly cited barriers to family presence and participation, including distress for family members, physiological and emotional stress for the patient, infection concerns, staff and institutional barriers, confidentiality, liability, and security.
Strategies for Changing Policies
Provides highlights, examples, and a step-by-step approach to considering changing from restrictive visiting policies to guidelines encouraging family presence.
Educating and Supporting Staff
Identifies and addresses key concerns and needs of nursing and medical staff in the implementation of guidelines supporting family presence and participation. A wide range of opportunities for staff education and support are explored.
Informing and Supporting Families
Offers a variety of strategies and examples for informing patients and family members of new guidelines, and discusses ideas and methods for supporting family members' presence and participation in care.
Supporting Children's Presence
Discusses the importance of visiting for children and ways to overcome common concerns, including infection control, disruptive behaviors, boredom, and feeling overwhelmed. Suggests approaches for staff and parents to use in preparing children for hospital visits as well as ways to maintain family ties if children do not visit.
Strengthening the Partnership
Highlights family involvement and collaboration in a variety of hospital settings. Addresses family participation in caregiving and decision-making, rounds and shift report, and patient and family charting and documentation. Includes a discussion of confidentiality.
Family Presence During Procedures
Discusses and shares examples of family presence during medical procedures, including resuscitation, anesthesia induction, and post-anesthesia care. Reviews pediatric and adult literature regarding benefits to the patient and family. Addresses staff concerns and family needs. An assessment tool is provided.
A Supportive Environment
Discusses the effect of the physical environment on family presence and participation, and addresses the importance of patient and family participation in shaping the built environment. Highlights environmental changes for a comfortable and supportive environment in various care settings.
Evaluation
Reviews the importance and purpose of evaluation, offering strategies and examples, and explores informal, formal, and research approaches to gathering and evaluating data. Quality improvement is addressed.
Appendices
- National and Regional Organizations Speak Out.
- Tips for Recruiting Patients and Families to Serve in Advisory Roles.
- Tips for Group Leaders and Facilitators for Involving Patients and Families on Committees and Task Forces.
- Wearing New Glasses.
- Are Families Considered Visitors in Our Hospital or Unit?
- Family Presence and Participation: What's In It For Me?
- Sample Guidelines.
- Sharing Your Story: Tips for Consumers and Families.
- Sharing of Personal and Professional Stories: Guidance for Group Facilitators.
- "While you Stay With Us," Children's Hospital and Clinics, Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN .
- Sample Parent Charting Form.
- Hospital/Organization Index.
- Resources Available from the Institute for Family-Centered Care.