Abstract

Introduction: Information about the nature of disease decreases the anxiety and unusual behaviors of parents specially mothers, and reduces their problems in recurrence of disease, which occurs in at least 30% of cases. Parents want correct information about the status of their hospitalized child and also want to be involved in their child’s care and expect health care providers to let them know about the expected changes that may occur in children’s physical condition.

Objective: The present study aims to determine the effect of family centered care on meeting parental information needs of hospitalized children.

Methods: In this quasi experimental study, 76 mothers of hospitalized children admitted to emergency ward of 17Shahrivar educational hospitals in Rasht were chosen by sequential sampling and divided into two groups of experimental and control group. Informed consent forms were given to selected mothers and after their agreement, family centered care was performed for experimental group based on developed protocol with participation of mothers. The control group received routine cares.

Results: Research findings showed that the level of meeting parental needs for information was %21.1 in control group and % 81.6 in experimental group. The t-test (p< 0.0001; t=6.922 df=74) showed significant difference between the two groups.

Conclusion: According to the study results family centered care was effective on the level of meeting parents need for information and also lead to its increase.

Key words: Parents/Child Care/ information seeking behavior/ Child, Hospitalized