Journal of pediatric nursing
-
The investigator used a semistructured interview and McCubbin's Familial Invulnerability Test to examine how mothers and fathers cope with caring for a cardiorespiratory-monitored infant in the home. Content analysis of interview data showed that the persistent gravity of the situation and fears of incompetency in managing their infant's care, coupled with inadequate respite, were the greatest source of hardship for parents. Informational and emotional support from family members and professionals were resources used to manage this experience. Both emotion-focused and problem-focused strategies were used to cope with this situation.
-
Neonatal and pediatric critical care units are growing in size and complexity. Each unit is staffed by a highly specialized group of nurses. Although the units share many commonalities, the relationship between nurses in the neonatal and pediatric critical care units often is characterized by rivalry and antagonism rather than by cooperation. The purpose of this report is to identify similarities and differences between the two units and to describe the benefits of collaboration between units.
-
The grief of parents after the loss of a child is well recognized. However, the concept of grief in children after the loss of a sibling or a parent has been accepted only recently. ⋯ Data gathering, goals of the program, the phases of implementation, and the specific components of support for each group are described. Initial efforts in evaluating the program and implications for the future are discussed.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Preterm infants' responses to taste/smell and tactile stimulation during an apneic episode.
A nonprobability sample of 14 nonventilated preterm infants, with a mean postconceptional age of 33.9 weeks, was examined to determine their responses to two interventions during apnea. The interventions included a traditional tactile stimulation of moderate shaking applied to the infant's leg and an experimental oral intervention consisting of taste, smell, and oral tactile stimulation. ⋯ The time interval for reinitiation of respiratory effort was significantly shorter after infants received the experimental stimulation (p = 0.0101). Behavioral state changed to alertness when the infants received the traditional tactile intervention yet remained unchanged when the experimental stimulation was administered during apnea (p = 0.0202).
-
One of the most difficult situations encountered by pediatric nurses is dealing with families experiencing the death of a child. This article describes the development of the H. O. ⋯ S. Program (Healing of Parents Experiencing Sorrow), a comprehensive bereavement program designed to assist families who have experienced pediatric loss. This program has been well-received by both families and staff and has enabled staff to interact more confidently with families at a very difficult time in their lives.