Family-centered care (FCC) has been promoted as the optimal philosophy for children and families in their interactions with health professionals. Furthermore, FCC is a health care delivery model that seeks to fully involve families in the care of children through an approach that is respectful and supportive. This multisite survey was undertaken to determine the differences in health professionals’ perceptions and practices of FCC and to examine factors that influence those perceptions and practices. Findings revealed that although advances have been made in recognizing the key elements of FCC, difficulties remain in implementing these elements. The “dilemma of helping,” the potential lack of interprofessional collaboration, the design of the health care delivery system, as well as the potential lack of continuing education and mentoring programs are proposed as explanations for these findings.
Aitkenhead, S.
(2001). Managing chronic pain in children. Nursing Times, 97(29), 34-35.
3.
Arango, P.
(1990). A parent’s perspective. “Family-centered care”: Making it a reality. Children’s Health Care, 14(1), 6-9.
4.
Bailey, D.
, Buysse, V., Smith, T., & Elam, J. (1992). The effects and perceptions of family involvement in program decisions about family-centered practices. Evaluation and Program Planning, 15(1), 23-32.
5.
Bailey, D.
, Palsha, S., & Simeonsson, R. (1991). Professional skills, concerns, and perceived importance of work with families in early intervention. Exceptional Children, 58(2), 156-165.
6.
Bailey, D.
, Simeonsson, R., Yoder, D., & Huntington, G. (1990). Preparing professionals to serve infants and toddlers with handicaps and their families: An integrative analysis across eight disciplines. Exceptional Children, 57(1), 26-35.
7.
Berman, H.
(1991). Nurses’ beliefs about family involvement in a children’s hospital. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 14(3), 238-249.
8.
Brown, J.
, & Ritchie, J. (1989). Nurses’ perceptions of their relationships with parents. Maternal-Child Nursing Journal, 18(2), 79-96.
9.
Bruce, B. (1992). Nurses’ perceptions and practices of family centred care. Unpublished master’s thesis, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
10.
Bruce, B.
(1993). Health care professionals’ perceptions and practices of family-centered care: Canadian Nurses’ Foundation grant proposal. (Available from Beth Bruce, Acting Director, Nursing Research, IWK Health Centre, 5850 University Avenue, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 3G9.)
11.
Bruce, B.
, & Ritchie, J. (1997). Nurses’ practices and perceptions of family-centered care. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 12(4), 214-222.
12.
Callery, P.
, & Smith, L. (1991). A study of role negotiation between nurses and the parents of hospitalized children. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 16(7), 772-781.
13.
Caro, P.
, & Derevensky, J. (1991). Family-focused intervention model: Implementation and research findings. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 11(3), 66-80.
14.
Caty, S.
, Larocque, S., & Koren, I. (2001). Family-centered care in Ontario general hospitals: The views of pediatric nurses. Canadian Journal of Leadership, 14(2), 10-18.
15.
Cleary, J.
, Gray, O., Hall, D., Rowlandson, P., Sainsbury, C., & Davies, M. (1986). Parental involvement inthe lives of children in hospital. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 61(8), 779-787.
16.
Cochrane, C.
, Farley, B., & Wilhelm, I. (1990). Preparation of physical therapists to work with handicapped infants and their families: Current status and training needs. Physical Therapy, 70(6), 372-380.
17.
Cohen, J. J.
(1999). Moving from provider-centered toward family-centered care. Academic Medicine, 74(4), 425.
18.
Coyne, I. T.
(1995). Partnership in care: Parents’ views of participation in their hospitalized child’s care. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 4, 71-79.
19.
DePompei, P. M.
, Whitford, K. M., & Hosang Beam, P. (1994). One institution’s efforts to implement family-centered care. Pediatric Nursing, 20(2), 119-122.
20.
Dunst, C.
, & Paget, K. D. (1991). Parent-professional partnerships and family empowerment. In M. Fine (Ed.), Collaborative involvement with parents of exceptional children (pp. 2-44). Brandon, VT: Clinical Psychology.
21.
Dunst, C.
, Trivette, C., Davis, M., & Cornwell, J. (1988). Enabling and empowering families of children with health impairments. Children’s Health Care, 17(2), 71-81.
22.
Dunst, C.
, Trivette, C., & Deal, A. (1988). Enabling and empowering families: Principles and guidelines for practice. Cambridge, MA: Brookline.
23.
Ecenroad, D.
, & Zwelling, E. (2000). Family-centered maternity care. MCN, American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 25(4), 178-186.
24.
Eckle, N.
, & MacLean, S. L. (2001). Assessment of family-centered care policies and practices for pediatric patients in nine U.S. emergency departments. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 27(3), 238-245.
25.
Evans, M.
(1994). An investigation into the feasibility of parental participation in the nursing care of their children. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 20(3), 477-482.
26.
Family Centered Care Committee
. (1992). Position paper. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada: Izaak Walton Killam Children’s Hospital.
27.
Gagnon Palmer, D.
(1997). Family-centered care: Controversies and complexities. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing, 10(4), 4-8.
28.
Galvin, E.
, Boyers, L., Schwartz, P. K., Jones, M. W., Mooney, P., Warwick, J., et al. (2000). Challenging the precepts of family-centered care: Testing philosophy. Pediatric Nursing, 26(6), 625-632.
29.
George, A.
, & Hancock, J. (1993). Reducing pediatric burn pain with parent participation. Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation, 14(1), 104-107.
30.
Gill, K.
(1987). Nurses’ attitudes toward parent participation: Personal and professional characteristics. Children’s Health Care, 15(3), 149-151.
31.
Gill, K.
(1994). Health professionals’ attitudes toward parent participation in hospitalized children’s care. Children’s Health Care, 22(4), 257-271.
32.
Gillette, Y.
, Hansen, N., Robinson, J., Kirkpatrick, K., & Grywalski, R. (1990). Hospital-based case management for medically fragile infants: Results of a randomized trial. Patient Education and Counselling, 17(1), 59-70.
33.
Hayes, V.
, & Knox, J. (1984). The experience of stress in parents of children hospitalized with long-term disabilities. Journal of Advanced Nursing Research, 9(4), 333-341.
34.
Heermann, J. A.
, & Wilson, M. E. (2000). Nurses’ experiences working with families in an NICU during implementation of family-focused developmental care. Neonatal Network—Journal of Neaonatal Nursing, 19(4), 23-29.
35.
Heller, R.
, & McKlindon, D. (1996). Families as “faculty”: Parents educating caregivers about family-centered care. Pediatric Nursing, 22(5), 428-431.
36.
Humphry, R.
, Gonzalez, S., & Taylor, E. (1993). Family involvement in practice: Issues and attitudes. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 47(7), 587-593.
37.
Johnson, B. H.
(1990). The changing role of families in health care. Children’s Health Care, 19, 234-241.
38.
Jones, D.
(1994). Effect of parental participation on hospitalized children’s behavior. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 17(2), 81-92.
39.
Knafl, K.
, Breitmayer, B., Gallo, A., & Zoeller, L. (1992). Parents’ views of health care providers: An exploration of the components of a positive working relationship. Children’s Health Care, 21(2), 90-92.
40.
Knafl, K.
, Cavallari, K., & Dixon, D. (1988). Pediatric hospitalization: Family and nurse perspectives. Boston: Scott, Foresman.
41.
Lawlor, M. C.
, & Mattingly, C. F. (1997). The complexities embedded in family-centered care. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 52(4), 259-267.
42.
Letourneau, N.
, & Elliott, M. (1996). Pediatric health care professionals’ perceptions and practices of family-centered care. Children’s Health Care, 25(3), 157-174.
43.
Lewis, M.
, Hatton, C., Salas, I., Leake, B., & Chiofalo, N. (1991). Impact of the children’s epilepsy program on parents. Epilepsia, 32(3), 365-374.
44.
Lewis, M.
, Salas, I., de la Sota, A., Chiofalo, N., & Leake, B. (1990). Randomized trial of a program to enhance the competencies of children with epilepsy. Epilepsia, 31(1), 101-109.
45.
Mahoney, G.
, & O’Sullivan, P. (1990). Early intervention practices with families of children with handicaps. Mental Retardation, 28(5), 169-176.
46.
Marvel, M.
, & Morphew, P. (1993). Levels of family involvement by resident and attending physicians. Family Medicine, 25(1), 26-30.
47.
McBride, S.
, Brotherson, M., Joanning, H., Whiddon, D., & Demmitt, A. (1993). Implementation of family-centered services: Perceptions of families and professionals. Journal of Early Intervention, 1(4), 414-430.
48.
McCollum, J.
, & Yates, T. (1994). Dyad as focus, triad as means: A family-centered approach to supporting parent-child interactions. Infants and Young Children, 6(4), 54-63.
49.
Melnyk, B.
(1994). Coping with unplanned childhood hospitalization: Effects of informational interventions on mothers and children. Nursing Research, 43(1), 50-55.
50.
Menzies, R.
, Parkin, J., & Hey, E. (1985). Prognosis for babies with meningomyelocele and high lumbar paraplegia at birth. Lancet, 2(8462), 993-997.
51.
Odle, K.
(1988). Partnership for family-centered care: Reality or fantasy?Children’s Health Care, 17(2), 85-86.
52.
O’Neil, M. E.
, & Palisano, R. J. (2000). Attitudes toward family-centered care and clinical decision making in early intervention among physical therapists. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 12(4), 173-182.
53.
Palmer, S.
(1993). Care of sick children by parents: A meaningful role. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 18(2), 185-191.
54.
Porter, L.
(1979). Health care workers’ role conceptions and orientation to family-centered care. Nursing Research, 28(6), 330-337.
55.
Ramey, C.
, Bryant, D., Wasik, B., Sparling, J., Fendt, K., & LaVange, L. (1992). Infant health and development program for low birth weight, premature infants: Program elements, family participation, and child intelligence. Pediatrics, 89(3), 454-465.
56.
Robbins, M.
(1991). Sharing the care... family-centered care in her pediatric ward. Nursing Times, 87(8), 36-38.
57.
Roberts, N. R.
, & Magrab, P. M. (1991). Psychologists’ role in a family-centered approach to practice, training, and research with young children. American Psychologist, 46(2), 144-148.
58.
Rosenbaum, P.
, King, S., & Cadman, D. (1992). Measuring processes of caregiving to physically disabled children and their families. I: Identifying relevant components of care. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 34(2), 103-114.
59.
Rushton, C.
(1990). Family-centered care in the critical care setting: Myth or reality?Children’s Health Care, 19(2), 68-78.
60.
Sainsbury, C.
, Gray, O., Cleary, J., Davies, M., & Rowlandson, P. (1986). Care by parents of their children in hospital. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 61(6), 612-615.
61.
Shelton, T.
(1999). Family-centered care in pediatric practice: When and how?Development and Behavioral Pediatrics, 20(2), 117-119.
62.
Shelton, T.
, Jeppson, E., & Johnson, B. (1987). Family-centered care for children with special health care needs. Washington, DC: Association for the Care of Children’s Health.
63.
Shelton, T.
, Jeppson, E., & Johnson, B. (1989). Family-centered care for children with special health care needs (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Association for the Care of Children’s Health.
64.
Valentine, F.
(1998). Empowerment: Family-centered care. Pediatric Nursing, 10(1), 24-27.
65.
Van Riper, M.
(2001). Family-provider relationships and well-being in families with preterm infants in the NICU. Heart & Lung: Journal of Acute & Critical Care, 30(1), 74-84.
66.
Walburn, K. S.
, Heermann, J. A., & Balsillie, L. J. (1997). Training in family-focused developmental care: Bridging the gap between traditional and family-centered care in a neonatal intensive care unit. Infants & Young Children, 10(2), 46-56.
67.
Way, C.
(1993). Parental stress in pediatric intensive care. British Journal of Nursing, 2(11), 572-577.
68.
Webb, N.
, Hull, D., & Madeley, R. (1985). Care by parents in hospital. British Medical Journal, 291(7), 176-177.
69.
Weinstein, A.
, Faust, D., McKee, L., & Padman, R. (1992). Outcome of short-term hospitalization for children with severe asthma. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 90(1), 66-75.
70.
Wells, P. W.
, DeBoard-Burns, M. B., Cook, R. C., & Mitchell, J. (1994). Growing up in the hospital: Part II. Nurturing the philosophy of family-centered care. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 9(3), 141-149.
71.
Wolfer, J.
, & Visintainer, M. (1975). Pediatric surgical patients’ and parents’ stress responses and adjustment. Nursing Research, 24(4), 244-255.
