With the understanding that parents are the vital link to the child, nurses can develop plans of care based on research. Family functioning must be assessed as families attempt to deal with the stress involved in the hospitalization of a child with sepsis. Instruments and surveys may be helpful in developing a plan of care. These plans of care can have a major impact on the successful coping of parents. The stress of hospitalization may have long-term effects on children and families. Future research is needed to develop additional interventions that can be applied while the child is hospitalized and after discharge to aid the family in coping with stress.