Implementation of a partnership involving parents in the care of critically ill children: an integrative review

The admission of a child to an intensive care unit, such as pediatric or neonatal intensive care units, serves as a significant stressor for parents. This condition is exacerbated when the child undergoes treatment in isolation from their parents. One strategy to address this challenge involves positioning parents at the bedside during the child's care. This study aimed to identify and synthesize qualitative and quantitative research evidence on partnerships involving parents in the care of critically ill children. This research employed an integrative review method, and it was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews as a research-implementation protocol (ID no. CRD42023414924t). Six databases were searched for relevant literature, including ScienceDirect, Scopus, ProQuest, Sage Journals, PubMed, and Google Scholar. The evaluation of article quality used the 2018 version of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, while content analysis was employed for data analysis. The results indicated that 18 articles fulfilled the inclusion requirements, out of the 5,435 articles found during the search phase. The analysis resulted in the discovery of three primary themes: partnership components, partnership outcomes and factors influencing partnerships. These three themes collectively constitute the conceptual model of partnerships in treating children with critical illness. It can be concluded that the active participation of parents in a child's critical care will yield positive outcomes for both the child and the parents. Existing empirical data underscore the significance of comprehending the factors influencing this specific situation.