Williams Neil A, Sokhela Dudu G, Ngxongo Thembelihle S P
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa.
Department of Health, King Edward VIII Campus of the Kwa-Zulu Natal College of Nursing, Durban, South Africa.
Health SA. 2025 Feb 28;30:2731. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v30i0.2731. eCollection 2025.
Family involvement is crucial in a child's treatment; however, many professional nurses still neglect to involve families in their child's care. Studies have indicated that the perceived lack of family involvement in hospitalised children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a problem in many countries. Few studies have been conducted in Africa with none relating to family involvement, highlighting the need for further research.
To develop in-depth insights into the challenges regarding family involvement in hospital nursing care of children with ASD, in the South African context.
Paediatric wards at selected private hospitals and family homes in the eThekwini District of KwaZulu-Natal.
An interpretative phenomenological analysis method was used. A sample of 10 professional nurses and 10 family members was achieved by purposive sampling. Data were collected from participants using semi-structured in-depth interviews.
The following challenges were identified by the participants: the lack of knowledge of nurses regarding ASD, nurses not listening to family, uncaring attitude of nurses, nurses' lack of time and shortage of nursing staff.
Nurses play a pivotal role in overcoming the challenges to family involvement, in the hospital nursing care, of a child with ASD. Making nurses aware of the challenges will help improve family involvement in hospitals nursing for the child with ASD.
This study added to the body of knowledge by identifying the challenges to the involvement of families in the hospital nursing care of a child with ASD.
家庭参与对儿童治疗至关重要；然而，许多专业护士仍忽视让家庭参与其孩子的护理。研究表明，在许多国家，住院的自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童中，家庭参与度被认为不足是个问题。非洲开展的相关研究很少，且没有与家庭参与相关的研究，这凸显了进一步研究的必要性。
在南非背景下，深入了解自闭症谱系障碍儿童住院护理中家庭参与方面的挑战。
夸祖鲁 - 纳塔尔省伊泰夸尼区选定的私立医院儿科病房和家庭住所。
采用解释现象学分析方法。通过目的抽样选取了10名专业护士和10名家庭成员作为样本。使用半结构化深度访谈从参与者那里收集数据。
参与者确定了以下挑战：护士对自闭症谱系障碍知识的缺乏、护士不听从家庭意见、护士冷漠的态度、护士时间不足以及护理人员短缺。
护士在克服自闭症谱系障碍儿童住院护理中家庭参与面临的挑战方面起着关键作用。让护士意识到这些挑战将有助于提高家庭对自闭症谱系障碍儿童住院护理的参与度。
本研究通过确定家庭参与自闭症谱系障碍儿童住院护理的挑战，为知识体系增添了内容。
