Author(s): Pinheiro, Catarina ; Pires, Cláudia ; Romeiro, Joana ; Ramos, Sílvia ; Charepe, Zaida
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/45786
Origin: Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Subject(s): Caregiver; Experiences; Hospital to home transition; Child; Transitional care
Objective: To synthesize the experiences of children and parents/caregivers in the process of pediatric home hospitalization (PHH). Introduction: The practice of home hospitalization (HH), while not a new concept has expanded in recent years.This model of care consists of continuous care at home for children with acute illness or acute chronic disease and presents itself as an alternative to conventional hospitalization (Middel, 2007; Parab et al., 2013). Excellence in pediatric healthcare is fundamental and this review provides a necessary understanding towards the experiences of children and their families in HH. Methods: Research was carried out in three phases and included both published and grey literature in the CINAHL,MEDLINE, MedicLatina, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and OpenAIRE databases to find relevant articles. Studies published in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French with no time limit were considered. Results: Findings were aggregated into five categories: communication and care experiences, parental dynamics and role carers, benefits and challenges for parents and children, relationship between parents, children's, and healthcare professionals and enhancing continuity of care and family support. According to ConQual the confidence level of the results was moderate in all articles. Conclusions: Through PHH, it is possible to avoid the impact of a conventional hospitalization since it promotes family union, increases the affective bond, the feeling of security, comfort, tranquillity, relief, confidence, and autonomy, reducing stressors such as anxiety, fear, nervousness, uncertainty, and fear.
