Effect of Family-Centered Care on Maternal Coping and Care Participation for their Children with Congenital Heart Diseases

Abstract

Contents: Families of children with congenital heart disease face frequent healthcare encounters due to their child's care trajectory. With an emphasis on assuring caring in healthcare, it is necessary to understand parents’ perceptions of healthcare providers’ actions when their child undergoes heart surgery.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of family-centered care intervention on maternal coping and participation in care for their children with congenital heart diseases.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used. The study was carried out at the pediatric inpatient department in Cardiovascular Hospital, affiliated to Ain Shams University Hospitals. A purposive sample of 50 children undergoing heart surgery and their accompanying mothers. The study used a structured interview questionnaire, the family-centered care scale, the index of mothers' participation, mothers’ practice observational checklists, and the coping process scale to collect the study’s data.

Results: The study reveals a statistically significant difference in the mothers' total coping pattern after family-centered care intervention compared to before intervention at p=0.000. A statistically significant difference was also revealed regarding the total mothers' participation in the care of their children with congenital heart disease at p=0.000. There was a strong positive correlation between total mothers' coping patterns, participation, and mothers' total actual practices regarding their children's care suffering from congenital heart diseases after the intervention.

Conclusion: The family-centered care intervention effectively improved mothers' coping patterns and participation in care for their children with congenital heart diseases. Emphasizing the importance of family (usually the mother) participation in care for their children with congenital heart diseases during hospitalization for heart surgery. Designing and carrying out educational programs for pediatric nurses to promote family-centered care in clinical practice.