Parental Presence in the Care of Hospitalized Children: Nursing Students’ Perspectives and Attitudes
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of nursing students regarding parental presence in the care of hospitalized children.
Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2020 with 572 nursing students who volunteered to participate. Data were collected using a Demographic Form and the Parent Participation Attitude Scale (PPAS). Data analysis was performed using means, percentages, and chi-squared tests.
Results: The study participants had a mean age of 20.89±1.53 years; 80.4% (n=460) were female, and 36.75% (n=210) were juniors. Students reported a mean PPAS score of 76.04±7.68. It was found that 63% (n=360) of the students were aware of the family-centered approach to care, with 81.1% (n=292) attributing their knowledge to coursework. Most students believed parents should be involved in care practices within the hospital setting (90.9%; n=520) and in decision-making (93.5%; n=535).
Conclusion: This study reveals a limited awareness among nursing students about parental presence in caring for hospitalized children. Most students believed parents should be actively involved in care practices and decision-making processes in the hospital setting. However, it was observed that they were uncertain about this issue in practice. These results emphasize the importance of awareness and positive attitudes toward family-centered care in nursing education.