Visiting-Nurse Practices in Partnership with Parents in Pediatric Home Care: A Review of Qualitative Literature

Abstract

Objective: To clarify the practices of visiting nurses regarding partnerships with parents in pediatric home care settings through a review of qualitative literature and to obtain suggestions for nursing care.

Methods: Original qualitative research articles reporting the partnerships between parents and visiting nurses in pediatric home care were searched on the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, and the Ichu-shi Web. Data on nursing practices related to partnerships with parents was extracted from the included articles, and content analysis was performed.

Results: Nine articles were included in this review. Through the analysis, the following themes were extracted: “practices of visiting nurses who can always empower parents,” “practices of visiting nurses from the perspective of a tripartite relationship working for the best of the child,” and “practices of visiting nurses who try to build optimal relationships with parents.”

Conclusion: Visiting nurses supported the parent’s feelings, sought the best for the child, and adjusted the relationship over time. This review suggests the importance of building a relationship with the parents based on an understanding of these characteristics. Therefore, to achieve the best relationship with parents, identifying what visiting nurses are doing to partner with parents and developing a scale to assess and educate visiting nurses about partnership practices are imperative.