Family Centred Care for Children in Ghana Hospitalised through Road Traffic Accident
Road traffic accident (RTA) is one of the leading causes of injuries and hospitalisation of children in Ghana. The sudden hospitalisation of the injured child is associated with anxieties and stressful episodes for the affected families. Family Centred Care (FCC) is a concept in paediatric nursing, which forms the basis of care for sick children and their families. FCC as a product of social constructs differs in cultures and context, despite the universal principles underpinning the concept. There is a perceived lack of knowledge of the concept in childcare practice in Ghana. This study explored the perspectives of FCC among health professionals and parents of children hospitalised through RTA in Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative approach, underpinned by a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Data was generated through in-depth individual interviews using a semi-structured technique. Participants consisted of twenty-four professionals and nineteen parents. Data were analysed using a constant comparative approach and two core categories emerged. Parental presence emerged from parents’ perspective, which generated four sub-categories. These include; managing emotions, negotiating the system, parental care roles, and challenges encountered. The professionals’ interviews generated family involvement; its sub-categories are parental involvement, communication, setting boundaries and support for family involvement. The emerging model of parental presence and family involvement for the care of the injured child in the hospital is the first of its kind in Ghana. The dimensions of negotiating the care system, which includes parents negotiating their social status with the professionals, also, demonstrating their usefulness in the hospital and establishing acquaintances with persons with influential powers within the socio-cultural context of Ghana forms part of key findings and the contribution to knowledge. The outcome of discussing the findings within the existing literature was projected using the Force Field Analysis as a conceptual framework for family involvement in the medico-cultural context of Ghana. The study recommends that institutional policies should reflect family involvement practice evidenced by clear written protocols for the involvement of parents/family in the care of the in-patient child.
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