The Lived Experience of Hospitalized Children
Abstract
Most children go through their childhood without ever being hospitalized. For a child, being hospitalized may be a disturbing and unfamiliar experience. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other pediatric institutions recognize the importance of parental presence for hospitalized children. Yet, not all parents are able to stay at their children’s bedside, let alone throughout their children’s hospital stay. What is it like for a child to be in the hospital when accompanied and when unaccompanied by a parent/caregiver? There is little research on this phenomenon, especially fore-fronting the experiences of children. A child’s voice needs to be held central to the discussion and offers insights that can contribute to meaningful nursing practice. The aim of this phenomenological study was to explore how parental accompaniment and absence shape a child’s experience of hospitalization in order to unearth the eidetic meaning of this experience. Twelve children were interviewed about their hospitalization experiences. The findings of this study are organized around the following themes: (a) participating in care; (b) being on the road to recovery; (c) being a kid, still; (d) being accompanied – having a familiar face; and (e) being unaccompanied – yearning but understanding. A phenomenological understanding of accompanied and unaccompanied hospitalized children’s experiences provides pediatric nurses with insight on how to support the patients and families under their care.
Subject Area
Nursing
Recommended Citation
Lulgjuraj, Diana, "The Lived Experience of Hospitalized Children" (2022). ETD Collection for Pace University. AAI29253865.
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/dissertations/AAI29253865
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