Concepts of family centered care – Health of the children has been considered as the vital importance to all societies because children are the basic resource for the future of humankind. Nursing care of children is concerned for both the health of the children and for the illnesses that affect their growth and development. The increasing complexity of medical and nursing science has created a need for special area of child care, i.e. pediatric nursing.
Pediatric nursing is the specialized area of nursing practice concerning the care of children during wellness and illness. It includes preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative care of children. It emphasizes on all round development of body, mind and spirit of the growing individual. Thus, pediatric nursing involves in giving assistance, care and support to the growing and developing children to achieve their individual potential for functioning with fullest capacity.
Concepts of family centered care
Family-Centered Care assures the health and well-being of children and their families through a respectful family-professional partnership. It honors the strengths, cultures, traditions and expertise that everyone brings to this relationship. Family-Centered Care is the standard of practice which results in high quality services.
(Ref: Maternal and child health bureau)
Family centered care, recognizes, the family as the constant in a child’s life. Service system and, personnel must support, respect encourage and enhance the Strength and competence of the family by developing mutuality and a partnership with parents.
The goal of family centered care, is, to minimize, the manifestation of the illness and minimize the child’s cognitive, physical and psychological, potential. Through this approach, trusting partnership results. Also the nurse, parent and Child can for a relationship in which the process of care negotiation occurs.
Two basic concepts in family-centered care are –
1. Enabling-professionals enable family by- creating opportunities and means for all family members to display their present abilities and competences and to acquire new once that are necessary to meet the needs of the child and families.
2. Empowerment-describe the interaction of professionals with families in such a way that families maintain or acquire a sense of control over their family lives and acknowledge positive changes that result from helping behavior that foster their own strengths; abilities and actions.
Principles of Family Centered Care;
The foundation of family-centered care is the partnership between families and professionals.
- Key to this partnership are the following principles:
- Families and professionals work together in the best interest of the child and the family.
- As the child grows, s/he assumes a partnership role.
- Everyone respects the skills and expertise brought to the relationship.
- Trust is acknowledged as fundamental.
- Communication and information sharing are open and objective.
- Participants make decisions together.
- There is a willingness to negotiate.
(Ref: Bishop, Woll and Arango, 1993)
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