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Until recently, children have not been central in news of the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the pandemic has certainly impacted them. Recent studies suggest that both parental and children's mental health has worsened since the onset of the pandemic. These changes are most pronounced in families facing more hardship, and children already at high risk for mental health concerns are even more vulnerable as a result of the pandemic. Children's hospitals have responded in varied ways to these concerns, providing telehealth mental health visits, offering webinars on pertinent topics, and adding supportive content on their websites. This article features specific programs of Children's Mercy with hospitals in both Kansas City, MO, and Overland Park, KS, as well as several other institutions, and outlines resources for nurses to share with families. Key Words: COVID-19, pandemic, infection control, mental health., According to a policy brief published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (2020) in April 2020: 'Children are not the face of this pandemic. But they risk being among [...]

Bainter, J., Fry, M., Miller, B., Miller, T., Nyberg, A., O'Dell, A., Shaffer, G., & Vernon, L. (2020). Family presence in the NICU: Constraints and opportunities in the COVID-19 era. Pediatric Nursing, 46(5), 256-259. With the advent of COVID-19, many hospitals changed their 'visiting' policies to protect staff and patients. Rather than welcoming families as partners in care, family presence was prohibited or sharply limited. The authors of this article, Family Faculty with the Vermont Oxford Network, describe the difficult impact these changes had on families with babies in NICUs--both on participation in care and also on integration of the family 'voice' at the policy level. The authors urge that the core concepts of patient- and family-centered care provide the foundation for future changes in policy as the pandemic continues. Key Words: Family-centered care; patient- and family-centered care, neonatal intensive care, NICU, family presence, parent presence, COVID-19., The sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed all of our lives beyond measure. One of the many aspects of life impacted by COVID-19 has been health care delivery. [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating impacts on individuals, communities, countries, and the globe. Children are among those who have been affected. Although less likely than adults to become ill or die from COVID-19, children have suffered in the areas of financial security, education, and mental health. Additionally, recent estimates point to the startling numbers of children who have suffered the loss of a parent or primary caregiver as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We join the urgent call to action for development and implementation of family-centered and evidence-based strategies to support children facing the many challenges related to COVID-19, including those facing the loss of a parent or primary caregiver as a result of the pandemic. Key Words: COVID-19, parent, orphan, pandemic, child., Living through the COVID-19 pandemic has not been easy for anyone, children and families included. In general, children have been infected with COVID-19 at lower rates than adults, and when [...]

Arlen Gaines and Meredith Polsky are social workers and authors of the award-winning 'I Have a Question About' picture book series that seeks to help all children, including children with [...]

Patient and family advisors can have a large and meaningful impact on a hospital system. The Children's Mercy Hospital is showcased here as both an early adopter of the use of Patient and Family Advisers (PFAs) and other varied forms of family engagement. In 1999, the first Teen Advisory Board was formed. In 2003, a Family Advisory Board was instituted to partner with high-level hospital administrators to focus on improving the quality, safety, and experience of care on a system-wide level. Family Advisory Board members also began volunteering on hospital committees to provide patient and family perspectives regarding the planning and delivery of care. This article is authored by two mothers of hospital patients, who were hired in 2008 as 'parents on staff,' creating a Family-Centered Care Department, which recently merged with the Patient Experience Department to form a new Patient and Family Engagement Department. Roles for parents in the hospital system have expanded over time, including the hiring of three more 'parents on staff,' the formation of 15 Patient Family Advisory Councils organized around varied populations and diagnoses, and PFA participation on the varied Hospital-Acquired Condition committees, providing key end user input into quality and safety decisions. Key Words: Patient- and family-centered care, patient and family engagement, PFAC, PFA, advisors., No parent chooses to have a sick child. When a child is born, our hopes and dreams include images of a happy childhood, playdates with friends, first day of school [...]

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood and can be associated with emotional, behavioral, developmental, and physical comorbidities. ADHD can impact academic and later occupational achievement, relationships and social development, wellbeing and safety, and individual and family quality of life. Additionally, ADHD continues into adulthood for a substantial proportion of individuals. Medication alone is the most common treatment for aDhD. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urges behavioral intervention as a key component of care, in addition to FDA-approved ADHD medications, many children and adolescents are missing out on behavioral approaches, in part because few evidence-based behavioral interventions have widespread availability. This article introduces ADHD coaching as a behavioral intervention with a growing evidence base. A literature search identified 22 studies addressing ADHD coaching, of which 19 examined outcomes; seven of these studies were specific to children and teens. The studies of coaching for young people with ADHD, like those among older individuals, suggest that ADHD coaching is a promising behavioral intervention and a useful component of multimodal treatment. Pediatric nurses can help families understand ADHD; encourage them to engage behavioral intervention(s), including ADHD coaching--as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges; and assist families in finding appropriate resources and referrals. Additionally, nurses may consider coach training to more effectively support children and teens with ADHD., Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity, along with pervasive and significant functional impairment (American Psychiatric Association [APA], [...]

Over 400,000 children are in foster care in the United States, and more than 100,000 of them are waiting to be adopted. Yet many will age out of foster care into adulthood without an adoptive family. Teens and young adults aging out of foster care, even those with preparation and training for the transition, often do not fare well in young adulthood. Many face challenges in areas of education, employment, homelessness, finances, the criminal justice system, and meeting health and mental healthcare needs. Research demonstrates what only makes sense: teens with tangible support from meaningful adult relationships fare better than those without. This article describes an innovative program that connects teens in foster care with supportive adults through social events that can lead to meaningful long-term teen-adult connections - including friendships, mentoring, and even, in some cases, adoption. Pediatric nurses, aware of the challenges these teens face adjusting to adulthood, can begin to explore referral and support options for such teens in their own locales using the resources herein., Almost 428,000 children nationwide are in the United States foster care system (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS], 2016). Over one-fourth of these children, approximately 112,000, are waiting [...]

The 7th International Conference on Patient- and Family-Centered Care was held July 25-27, 2016, in New York City. Attended by over 1,000 individuals representing some 348 institutions and organizations from [...]

Family-centered care can seem challenging when family member behavior, choices, attitudes, or emotions are 'difficult' or 'challenging' to deal with. Yet nurses can develop skills to effectively interact with families in a wide variety of circumstances and then become able to practice family-centered care in any situation that might arise. One particularly useful skill is 'validation, ' which means accepting what the family member says or does as a valid expression of thoughts and feelings in that particular circumstance at that particular time. Validation does not mean there is agreement or acceptance of unsafe behaviors, only that the nurse acknowledges that the family member's concerns and feelings are important and should be listened to and taken seriously, even in the presence of disagreement Validation, which should be individualized, can take many forms, ranging from providing complete attention to reflection of statements, identification of possible unexpressed emotions, normalization, and finally, a full and genuine sense of connection. Understanding and practicing validation can empower nurses and family members, as well as support effective family-centered communication and problem solving, even in challenging circumstances. Key Words: Validation, family-centered care, pediatrics., Most pediatric hospitals and most pediatric nurses embrace family-centered care, sometimes also called patient- and family-centered care. It makes sense that given the central role of family in a child's [...]

This third article in a series on the critical issue of the transition from pediatric to adult care for young adults with complex chronic conditions offers resources, including information about exemplary programs, to pediatric nurses. Three hospital-based programs are highlighted, four key Internet resources are identified, and five relevant articles are annotated. This information can support pediatric nurses in considering transition support options for individual teens and their families as well as in developing resources and designing programs in their own settings., This article is the third in a series addressing the critical issue of the transition from pediatric to adult care for young adults with complex chronic conditions. Sharing the invaluable [...]

In March 2020, faced with the overwhelming nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals, health systems, outpatient settings, and nursing homes felt it was necessary to restrict visitors and family members [...]

COVID-19 and its devastating impact is now sweeping across the United States, as well as the world. Major metropolitan areas are literally 'under siege.' Hospitals and other parts of the [...]

Due to advances in medicine, many young adults with complex chronic conditions are now able to reach the age when they must transition from pediatric to adult care. But preparation for these transitions is often inadequate--for patients and their families, as well as for adult providers. As a result, many needs (clinical, psychosocial, and educational) may not be met, and patients and their families may feel uncertain about the quality of care. This article is the first in a series addressing this critical issue by providing insights from patients and families who have experienced transitions, as well as information about programs and available resources. In this article two parents and one young adult patient share their stories of transitioning, identify the numerous challenges they faced, and suggest strategies to improve the health care system for other patients and families., Optimal health care is achieved when each person, at every age, receives medically and developmentally appropriate care (McManus et al., 2013). As health care outcomes improve for children with complex [...]

Family-centered care can seem challenging when family member behavior, choices, attitudes, or emotions are 'difficult' or 'challenging' to deal with. Yet nurses can develop skills to effectively interact with families in a wide variety of circumstances and then become able to practice family-centered care in any situation that might arise. One particularly useful skill is 'validation,' which means accepting what the family member says or does as a valid expression of thoughts and feelings in that particular circumstance at that particular time. Validation does not mean there is agreement or acceptance of unsafe behaviors, only that the nurse acknowledges that the family member's concerns and feelings are important and should be listened to and taken seriously, even in the presence of disagreement. Validation, which should be individualized, can take many forms, ranging from providing complete attention to reflection of statements, identification of possible unexpressed emotions, normalization, and finally, a full and genuine sense of connection. Understanding and practicing validation can empower nurses and family members, as well as support effective family-centered communication and problem solving, even in challenging circumstances., Most pediatric hospitals and most pediatric nurses embrace family-centered care, sometimes also called patient- and family-centered care. It makes sense that given the central role of family in a child's [...]

Conventional parenting approaches often fall short of the mark for children who exhibit difficult behavior, sometimes inadvertently leading to increased oppositionality and poor self-esteem. As a result, parents of children with intense personalities and challenging behaviors need strategies that work very differently. The Nurtured Heart Approach[TM] is a philosophy/technique developed to help parents rewrite the often negative parenting scripts used with these children by limiting the amount of attention given to negative or undesirable behaviors while noticing and acknowledging even small positive behaviors, naming them, 'energizing' attention given to them, and valuing their occurrence. Although there has been very limited empirical study of the Nurtured Heart Approach[TM] to date, it has been used, with anecdotal reports of success, in a variety of settings, including Head Start programs, schools, foster care agencies, a treatment center, and a pre-adolescent diversion program (Glasser, 2000)., Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) are among the leading causes of referrals for mental health services for children and teens. According to the Centers for [...]

Approximately 15 million children in the United States can currently be diagnosed with a mental health disorder (APA, 2013). Families of these children experience not only grief and the challenge of managing the disorder, but also stigma, including rejection, misunderstanding, and a feeling of isolation. Nonetheless, some parents find or develop approaches for 'making meaning' from the experience. Interviews of four mothers of children with mental illness demonstrate 'making meaning' in ways that provide for personal growth, fulfillment, and support, while engaging in efforts that ease the journey for others in similar circumstances., According to American Psychological Association (APA) (2013) estimates, approximately 15 million children in the United States can currently be diagnosed with a mental health disorder. While there is controversy about [...]

Among the many available guides to parenting, Foster Cline and Jim Fay's 'Parenting with Love and Logic' materials (see Figure 1) stand out as providing clear, practical strategies--and examples--for raising [...]

The 5th International Conference of the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care (IPFCC), held in Washington, DC, from June 4-6, 2012, offered an opportunity for almost 1,000 conference participants to share and learn about exciting new patient- and family-centered initiatives occurring across the U.S. and in many other countries. One focus addressed by keynote and plenary speakers, as well as numerous conference sessions and poster presentations, was how nurses and other health care professionals can encourage patients and family members to become partners with their health care teams. Various presenters shared strategies ranging from initial approaches to acknowledging family members as part of the team and offering simple, non-threatening roles in care provision, to policies and approaches inviting increased participation in health care encounters, to higher level involvement in the care planning process, and to partnership roles extending beyond care of the individual child and family. A wealth of ideas can be implemented at various levels by individual nurses, units, and health care institutions., As two recent articles in 'Family Matters' highlighted (Abraham & Moretz, 2012; Moretz & Abraham, 2012), patient- and family-centered care (PFCC) is not new to the health care field. In [...]

Elizabeth Ahmann, Co-Series Editor of Pediatric Nursing's Family Matters column, talks with Pat Harvey about her new book, Parenting a Teen Who Has Intense Emotions: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills to [...]

Patient-and family-centered care began in pediatrics more than two decades ago, and pediatric care has continued to lead the way in acknowledging and supporting family presence and participation in patient care and decision-making. However, many adult hospitals still have 'visiting' policies that restrict the potential for true partnerships with families and other care partners. A national campaign, Better Together: Partnering with Families, developed by the Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care (IPFCC), urges all hospitals--pediatric and adult--to welcome families 24/7. Despite the leadership of pediatrics in family-centered care, even in children's hospitals, policy and practice must continue to evolve to strengthen partnerships with families, as described in a profile of C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and the University of Michigan Health System., The Evolution of Family-Centered Practice The Association for the Care of Children's Health formally articulated the elements of family-centered care in 1987 (Shelton, Jeppson, & Johnson, 1987) with the support [...]

This article is the first in a series highlighting parental roles in family-centered care. A brief history of family-centered care from the 1960s to the present provides the context for the development of numerous roles parents have begun to play in the health care system. This background is followed by a mother's description of the steps in her own evolution as a "parent advocate." Deborah Dokken first developed her voice in the health care system as a parent to three premature infants, one of whom survived. Dokken used the skills she developed as a NICU parent to help other families through a peer-support program. She was subsequently invited to serve on a hospital's Ethics Committee; later to participate as a co-investigator and consultant on a palliative care education project; and most recently to be a member of several federal level health care advisory committees. Several themes in her development as a parent advocate included: readiness and commitment to assume new roles; the open support of at least one care professional in each setting; the identification of roles that matched her interest, background, and skills; and a growing conviction of her ability to contribute in a holistic way. Subsequent articles in this series will introduce other parents as they describe a variety of parental roles in family-centered care. We hope that illustration of these roles will inspire further involvement of parents in the pediatric health care system, at all levels., The term "family-centered" care has its origins almost 30 years ago in the maternity nursing literature (Wiedenbach, 1967). The consumer movement in the 1960s laid the groundwork for this approach, [...]

In 1997, golfer Tiger Woods surprised many Americans when he objected to being called African-American and referred to himself as "Cablinasian," a blending of his Caucasian, Black, Indian, and Thai [...]

Positive parenting is built on respect for children and helps develop self-esteem, inner discipline, self-confidence, responsibility, and resourcefulness. Positive parenting is also good for parents: parents feel good about parenting well. It builds a sense of dignity. Positive parenting can be learned. Understanding normal development is a first step, so that parents can distinguish common behaviors in a stage of development from "problems." Central to positive parenting is developing thoughtful approaches to child guidance that can be used in place of anger, manipulation, punishment, and rewards. Support for developing creative and loving approaches to meet special parenting challenges, such as temperament, disabilities, separation and loss, and adoption, is sometimes necessary as well. This annotated bibliography offers resources to professionals helping parents and to parents wishing to develop positive parenting skills., Editor's Note: As I was compiling this bibliography of books to promote positive parenting, my children's piano teacher called to say he was running late because of some problems with [...]

Increasing cultural and linguistic competence in health care settings is important for several reasons, including: responding to current and projected demographic changes in the United States; eliminating long-standing disparities in the health status of people of diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; improving quality of both services provided and health outcomes; meeting legislative, regulatory, and accreditation mandates; gaining a competitive edge in the market place; and decreasing the likelihood of liability/malpractice claims. Changes in policies, structures, practices, and procedures are often needed to bring about improvements in this arena. To support the process of change, The National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) was funded to increase the capacity of health care and mental health systems, institutions, programs, and providers to design, implement, and evaluate service delivery systems for cultural and linguistic competence. Several checklists developed by the NCCC are presented here for use by individual practitioners, programs, and institutions in assessing aspects of cultural competence., The divisions of race, ethnicity, and culture are drawn sharply in the health and health care of the people in the United States (U.S.). Nationally, health care programs and organizations [...]

Firearms in the home are an increasing concern for parents and health professionals alike. A number of professional groups have begun to speak out about firearm safety and children. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN) have position statements on the issue. The AAP recommends that pediatricians incorporate questions about guns into patient histories and also urge parents who possess guns, especially handguns, to remove them from the home. The SPN (1998) says that "[p]ediatric nurses, employed in a variety of settings, have the opportunity to educate parents and children about gun violence and prevention of firearm injuries." Nurses and other professionals can easily access information and strategies to address firearm safety with families. See Table 1 for a list of resources that are available online., Firearms in the home are an increasing concern for parents and health professionals alike. Recent tragedies occurring as a result of guns in the home include the following, listed on [...]

Extensive Study on Concussions in Youth Sports Finds 'Culture of Resistance' for Self-Reporting Injury; Not Enough Evidence to Support Claim That Helmets Reduce Concussion Risk Young athletes in the U.S. [...]

Award-winning author Jodi Picoult has written several novels that dramatically portray families caught in personal, financial, medical, legal, and ethical dilemmas related to their children having medical or developmental challenges. At times drawing on personal experience but always conducting extensive background research, Picoult's work is very realistic in its depiction of varied child and family scenarios. These gripping stories, while fiction, point clearly to real issues and highlight the need for and importance of a family-centered approach in pediatric care. Pediatric nurses can confidently pick up a Picoult novel for an entertaining and thought-provoking summer read., * Parents forced to consider all possible donors for their ailing child, even a sibling. * Family relationships stressed and changed by the illness of a child. * Families devastated [...]

Although mothers are generally more likely than fathers to be involved with their child's health care needs, incorporating fathers is important as well. Some research suggests that factors interfering with paternal involvement include work conflicts and greater convenience for mothers accompanying the child to health care visits. One factor fathers have identified as a positive motivator is a health care provider's specific invitation or encouragement to attend the child's appointments. Fathers and mothers may cope differently with a child's illness or disability, and the type of support each parent needs may vary. Health care providers can increase their own awareness of paternal concerns and needs to best encourage paternal involvement., Is it the mother or father who typically stays with the child in the hospital where you work? Which parent typically brings the child to the office visit where you [...]

Family-centered care is increasingly considered "best practice." Yet, recent research points to a discrepancy between philosophy and practice (Bruce & Ritchie, 1997). To make family-centered care a full reality will require the examination of the assumptions underlying the practice of individual health care providers, agencies, and institutions. Typical models underling the provision of health care today include the medical model, the child-focused model, the family-focused model, and the family-centered model. Understanding the assumptions of each of these models is important. Identifying them in practice will require a process of reflection. Once assumptions underlying the current practice of an individual or institution are made conscious, assumptions that interfere with family-centered practices can be identified., Some years ago, the philosophy of family-centered care was described as a revolution in pediatric health care, akin to the "Copernican Revolution" (Turnbull & Summers cited in Shelton, Jeppson, & [...]

The issue of kinship care is explored through an interview with a clinical social worker who runs a support group for grandparents caring for their grandchildren. Starting in the 1980s, the kinship care phenomena spread across economic and racial lines. Nationwide, an estimated 3.2 million children live in grandparent-headed households. issues faced by grandparents in this role include: the emotional impact of raising children, when past that typical stage of life; how to deal with the feelings of anger and resentment toward their own children; how to say no and be comfortable with it; how to reclaim parts of their own lives; taking care of themselves; special childraising challenges, including HIV, abuse, and neglect; and financial concerns. A kinship care support group is described, and lists of resources are provided., Section Editor's Note: For the past 7 years, Brenda Shephard-Vernon has run a support group for grandparents raising their grandchildren. I met with her to learn about this project and [...]

A child's disability or acute or chronic illness has an effect on all family members, including siblings of the affected child. Children's books, fiction and non-fiction, can be used to support siblings by providing information, addressing feelings, offering insight, assuring the child that others have had similar problems, and facilitating coping. Nurses can introduce children and their families to useful books by having books or book covers on display that the child can choose from; providing families with lists of books; and/or assessing the child's needs, interests and reading level, and recommending a specific title., Pediatric nurses are aware of the many effects a child's acute or chronic illness can have on all family members, including siblings of the affected child. Yet, when a child [...]

Youth violence is an increasing concern in the media and among parents and health care providers. A recent study in a large urban area found that most children who visited [...]

Nurses can play an important role as effective change agents in helping health care agencies and institutions recognize the need to move to more family-centered models, understand the benefits of a family-centered approach, and develop strategies for implementing family-centered care. The Institute for Family-Centered Care has identified a number of areas in which many institutions wish to make changes and has been developing guidance materials that explore possibilities, highlight hospitals that have incorporated changes, and provide practical strategies and useful materials to facilitate change. Topics covered in these guidance resources include the following: Developing Family-Centered Vision, Mission, and Philosophy of Care Statements; Developing and Sustaining a Patient and Family Advisory Council; Collaborative Design Planning; Creating Children's Advisory Councils; Creating and Enhancing Patient and Family Resource Centers; Creating Patient and Family Faculty Programs; Working with Seniors and their Families to Enhance Geriatric Care; and Changing Visiting Practices - Families as Partners., A growing number of innovative leaders in health care institutions have come to believe that family-centered care provides the philosophical framework to reorganize systems of care, education, and research to [...]

According to the recent government report, Child Maltreatment 1997: Reports From the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, almost 3 million reports of child abuse and [...]

An increasing number of health care consumers are using the Internet for health-related research through Web sites, newsgroups, chat rooms, and listserves. This use of the Internet can be empowering for consumers. It encourages both collaboration and a family-centered approach to care and could contribute to improved outcomes and cost savings. At the same time, care and caution are needed regarding interpretation of health-related information obtained on the Internet. Nurses can help consumers become Internet savvy and learn ways to evaluate the likelihood that information they find on the Internet is from a reputable site. First, health care consumers using the Web should be encouraged to be skeptical and to approach Internet health research with a clear list of questions that can be used to evaluate Internet sites. Second, several on-line "site-checkers" can be applied to achieve a similar evaluation. A third approach is to look for the emblem of the Health on the Net Foundation's voluntary Code of Conduct (HONCode) for medical and health Web sites. Finally, open, collaborative relationships among health care consumers, families, and health care providers will encourage a discussion of the relevance and applicability of an individual's Internet research findings to the medical or nursing care plan., An increasing number of health care consumers are using the Internet for health-related research. According to a 1999 Harris Poll, about one half of the adult population of the United [...]

In an interview with the column editor, Beverley Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Family-Centered Care, shares her views on the state of family-centered care (see Table 1). A notable achievement over the past several decades has been the acknowledgment of family-centered care as the standard of care for children with special health care needs. Today there is a growing momentum to more broadly apply the principles of family-centered care in both pediatric and adult care settings, and much work needs to be done to build on the strong foundation that has been laid. Changing attitudes and practice, changing how families are viewed and how care is provided, developing collaborative approaches, and emphasizing the importance of relationships -- changing in these ways the very culture of health care -- will be necessary to make family-centered care a full reality. Many of these changes need to begin during the process of educating medical and nursing students. Health care institutions can support these changes by incorporating principles of family-centered care into personnel policies and practices, ensuring the hiring and support of individuals with family-centered skills and attitudes, and rewarding family-centered practice. Many of these changes can also be supported by research on the relationships between family-centered care and health care utilization, lengths of stay, and health care outcomes. The interview concludes as follows: "What is good for families and patients is often good for the health care system as well. Family-centered care is a winning proposition for all concerned.", Table 1. The Institute for Family-Centered Care's Definition of Family-Centered Care Family-centered care is an approach to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care that is grounded in mutually [...]

Something to Remember Me By: An Illustrated Story for Young and Old is a picture book that will touch the hearts and open the eyes of readers of all generations. This story of the relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter raises important issues about intergenerational relationships, such as the need to leave a legacy, connections between the generations, and the changing roles of grandparents and grandchildren over the years. In an interview, the author states that "the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is far less psychologically complex than the parent-child relationship. If nurtured, it can provide a great deal of support." The book itself is a valuable tool for nurturing such relationships., In this interview and in her book Something to Remember Me By: An Illustrated Story for the Young and Old, author Susan Bosak addresses the importance of nurturing intergenerational relationships. [...]

Manual of Pediatric and Postpartum Home Care By Robyn Rice First Edition: 1999 Mosby Year-Book St. Louis, MO The recent publication of Robyn Rice's Manual of Pediatric and Postpartum Home [...]

Families in which one or both parents are gay or lesbian are becoming increasingly common as social acceptance of this lifestyle increases and legal barriers slowly erode. Despite past concerns [...]

Grandloving: Making Memories with Your Grandchildren (2000), by Sue Johnson and Julie Carlson (Heartstrings Press, [800] 262-546, or info@grandloving.com), is not an academic book, and it won't be found on [...]

Consider a New Year's resolution to implement at lease one family-centered change in your practice in the upcoming year. New Health Partnerships, the Institute for Family-Centered Care, and the Initiative for Pediatric palliative care are among organizations whose websites offer information, guidance, curriculum materials, and tools related to implementing family-centered care. Nurses in any setting will find material here to inspire, encourage, and facilitate turning this New Year's resolution into reality. May the coming year be a good year for you ... and for the advancement of family-centered care. We'd love to hear back about the successes you have!, Happy New Year, 2008! Have any New Year's resolutions? Lose weight, exercise more, take vitamins regularly? Replace the old sofa, clean the basement, repaint the living room? Save money, take [...]

Grandloving: Making Memories with Your Grandchildren, 4th edition (2006) Sue Johnson and Julie Carson Lancaster, VA: Heartstrings Press Soft cover, 296 pages, U.S. $18.95 Available at: www.grandloving.com or 800-262-1546 The [...]

Catherine Robinson-Pickett is being awarded Pediatric Nursing's 2004 Humanitarian Award for her 12 years of tireless efforts as an HIV educator and advocate and for her efforts in founding the [...]

She is outside the ballet studios, smiling at the antics of the younger boys as they warm up for class. Minutes later she is in the hallway consulting with a [...]

Carschooling By Diane Flynn Keith 2002 Prima Publishing Roseville, CA Recently the news media has run stories about the amount of time children spend in cars commuting to and from [...]

By Fran London, MS, RN 1999 Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins These are undoubtedly difficult times for nurses. Many nurses are overburdened, stressed, burned-out, and frustrated. In times like these, [...]