Examining the Delivery of Patient- and Family-Centered Care to Pediatric Patients in the Emergency Department Setting: An Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Background: To optimize the care delivered to pediatric patients, pediatric EDs have begun to focus on delivering patient- and family-centered care (PFCC). Recent studies have focused on identifying and solving issues related to the barriers to implementing PFCC in the pediatric ED setting.

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to examine parent satisfaction and factors that affect the care delivered using a PFCC approach to pediatric care in the ED.

Methods: An integrated literature review was conducted using the CINAHL Complete, Pubmed, and ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health databases. The keywords “emergency services and patient and family centered” were used to search literature published between 2000 and 2017.

Results: Interventions that sought to support a PFCC approach largely focused on staff educational programs and increasing the involvement of parents in their child’s care.

Conclusions: Pediatric EDs using specific educational interventions that focused on improving aspects of PFCC reported a positive impact on parent satisfaction. Interventions that discouraged direct communication between patients, parents, and providers did not enhance satisfaction.

Keywords: patient and family centered, emergency department