Objectives: The objective of this study was to describe parents' experiences of family functioning, health and social support provided by nursing personnel, while their child was in intensive care, and to determine how social support was associated with family functioning and family health.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: The data were collected by a self-administered questionnaire from 31 parents of critically ill children from 2010 to 2011. The data were analysed statistically.
Main outcome measures: The parents considered their family functioning, health and social support provided by the nursing personnel to be good.
Results: The sub-area of family functioning that rated the lowest was strengths of family, whereas the lowest rated sub-area of family health was ill-being. Child's previous hospital treatments were associated with family health. Parents, whose child had already been in hospital care, reported more well-being and less ill-being than parents with children hospitalised for the first time. Parents' education was associated with family functioning, family health and social support given by the nurses. Weak positive correlation was also found between social support given by nurses and family health experienced by parents.
Conclusion: There is a need to discuss how nursing care can further support parental resources.
Keywords: Child; Family functioning; Family health; Family-centred care; Intensive care; Social support.
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