Children, families and hospitals - Association for the Care of Children's Health survey

Children Today, July-August, 1989

Children, Families and Hospitals

How well are hospitals addressing the psychosocial needs of children and families?

According to a 1988 self-report survey by the Association for the Care of Children's Health (ACCH), hospitals are changing policies and programs to help children and families cope with the difficult and often traumatic experience of hospitalization or emergency medical care.

ACCH's latest survey of 286 U.S. and Canadian children's hospitals and general hospitals with pediatric residency programs updates information gathered in a similar study in 1981. The data, ACCH notes, reflect changes that have occurred over the last seven years and provide insight into trends affecting the psychosocial care of children in hospitals. The survey found:

* an increase from 76 percent to 98 percent in the number of hospitals that have 24-hour visitation policies for parents.

* an increase from 53 percent to 86 percent in the number of hospitals that allow 24-hour visitation for parents in the neonatal intensive care unit.

* an increase from five percent to 15 percent in the number of hospitals that routinely allow parents to be with their child during anesthesia induction.

* an increase from 15 percent to 34 percent in the number of hospitals that routinely allow parents to be with their child in the recovery room.

The 1988 data also show that 85 percent of the reporting hospitals allow parents to be with their child during emergency room or inpatient treatments, and that while 95 percent of the hospitals permit parents to room-in with their child, only half provide any sleeping accommodations for parents. Eighty-two percent of the hospitals surveyed reported having a professionally staffed play, recreation, or child life program.

These and other statistics are presented in the Directory of Hospital Psychosocial Policies and Programs, which provides detailed profiles of participating hospitals. In addition to enabling users to review key policies and programs at particular hospitals, the Directory's grid format allows readers to locate hospitals offering specific programs or services and compare programs in a given community or region.

Copies of the Directory may be ordered at $26.00 each ($18.50 for ACCH members) from the Association for the Care of Children's Health, 3615 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20016.