Meaningfulness and the experience of support initiatives for the family of a child in a critical care context: A systematic review.

Abstract

Review question/objective To identify and synthesise the best available evidence of supportive initiatives for the family of an infant or child in a critical care setting. To identify and synthesize evidence on the experiences of nursing, medical or allied health staff providing supportive interventions using strategies to facilitate family inclusion and participation in the care of the baby or child in a critical care context. To make recommendations concerning strategies and initiatives that support families with a baby or child in a critical care context. Inclusion criteria Types of participants The review will consider the family of critically ill neonatal and paediatric patients (infant or child) in a critical care context. The range infants or child participants included in the review will take in the following ages: the premature infant (prior to 37 weeks gestation) and the neonate (from 37 weeks gestation to 1 month), the infant (1 ‐23 months), the preschool child (a child between 2‐5 years) and child (6‐12 years of age). Finally, the adolescent (between 13‐18 years) will be included in the review even if health services for this age group are included in an adult setting the focus of initiatives or interventions may be on the family and the needs of the adolescent. The review will consider also nursing, medical and allied health staff involved in initiatives to support and encourage family with an infant or child in a critical care context. Phenomena of interest This review will consider studies that include the experience, thoughts, feelings and opinions of the nuclear and extended family of the critically ill child or baby in a critical care area. The family is defined broadly to reflect a range of ideas including the relationship of affection and the sense of belonging that emanates from membership and participation in a group described as family. This extends to include the nuclear family which comprises at least two members of the family of origin through to the extended family which comprises all manner of families including the stepfamily, sole‐parent family. The family may be composed of a range TRUNCATED AT 350 WORDS