Nursing interventions for children with a parent in the intensive care unit.

Hospitalization of a family member in an intensive care unit is a stressful event for the entire family. Nurses should be concerned not only with the hospitalized patient but with the family, as a unit. Attention is often focused on the patient and to a lesser extent on the spouse. The needs of the children may be neglected. To reduce the long-term negative effects of the crisis event on the life of the child, appropriate interventions should be made at the time of the crisis. It is important for nurses to recall emotional and cognitive phases of growth and development when counseling parents. This information is used to help the nonhospitalized parent identify the needs of the child. The nurse can act as a resource person for this parent in planning strategies that will prevent or alleviate problems for the child.