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How are children's best interests expressed during their hospital visit?-An observational study

Afua Quaye, Angela LU ; Castor, Charlotte LU ; Coyne, Imelda ; Söderbäck, Maria and Kristensson Hallström, Inger LU (2021) In Journal of Clinical Nursing
Abstract
Aims and objectives: To describe ways in which children's best interests were observed to be expressed in paediatric settings during their hospital visit.

Background: The best interests of the child are embodied in national and international legal systems, although the definition remains problematic. The child's limited autonomy mandates duty bearers to have both a child perspective and the child's perspective when considering what the best interest of the child entails in care situations.

Design: A qualitative descriptive study with overt, non-participant observations fulfilling the COREQ criteria.

Methods: Thirty-two observations of interactions between children aged 2 to 17 years with both acute and chronic... (More)
Aims and objectives: To describe ways in which children's best interests were observed to be expressed in paediatric settings during their hospital visit.

Background: The best interests of the child are embodied in national and international legal systems, although the definition remains problematic. The child's limited autonomy mandates duty bearers to have both a child perspective and the child's perspective when considering what the best interest of the child entails in care situations.

Design: A qualitative descriptive study with overt, non-participant observations fulfilling the COREQ criteria.

Methods: Thirty-two observations of interactions between children aged 2 to 17 years with both acute and chronic conditions, their parents and healthcare professionals were conducted at three paediatric hospitals in Sweden. Inductive and abductive reasoning were used in the content analysis of data, which followed the identification, coding, categorising and abstraction of observed patterns of the best interest of the child.

Results: Findings reveal facilitating and obstructing factors for the child's best interests to be safeguarded in healthcare situations. Children were guided in or hindered from exercising their competence. The observations showed a variation in actions taken by both parents and healthcare professionals to safeguard the best interests of the child.

Conclusions: Determining the best interest of the child requires a case-by-case basis, as it is context-dependent, situational, flexible and dependent on all actors involved and actual decisions made.

Relevance to clinical practice: Healthcare professionals' actions can facilitate or obstruct observed expressions of the child's best interest. It is essential to enhance healthcare professionals' communication skills, knowledge awareness and continuing education about the rights of children receiving healthcare services. Reflections and discussions on how to protect the best interests of children may help healthcare professionals to uphold children's best interest in daily clinical practice.

Keywords: best interest; child rights; child's perspective; child-centred care; hospitalisation; mutual negotiation; observation. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Clinical Nursing
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:34080241
  • scopus:85107026921
ISSN
1365-2702
DOI
10.1111/jocn.15886
project
LUC3 - Lund University Child Centered Care
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
87de0d85-b678-4aef-b5ea-5d4d922e2a7a
date added to LUP
2021-06-08 10:55:06
date last changed
2023-04-24 14:57:41
@article{87de0d85-b678-4aef-b5ea-5d4d922e2a7a,
  abstract     = {{Aims and objectives: To describe ways in which children's best interests were observed to be expressed in paediatric settings during their hospital visit.<br/><br/>Background: The best interests of the child are embodied in national and international legal systems, although the definition remains problematic. The child's limited autonomy mandates duty bearers to have both a child perspective and the child's perspective when considering what the best interest of the child entails in care situations.<br/><br/>Design: A qualitative descriptive study with overt, non-participant observations fulfilling the COREQ criteria.<br/><br/>Methods: Thirty-two observations of interactions between children aged 2 to 17 years with both acute and chronic conditions, their parents and healthcare professionals were conducted at three paediatric hospitals in Sweden. Inductive and abductive reasoning were used in the content analysis of data, which followed the identification, coding, categorising and abstraction of observed patterns of the best interest of the child.<br/><br/>Results: Findings reveal facilitating and obstructing factors for the child's best interests to be safeguarded in healthcare situations. Children were guided in or hindered from exercising their competence. The observations showed a variation in actions taken by both parents and healthcare professionals to safeguard the best interests of the child.<br/><br/>Conclusions: Determining the best interest of the child requires a case-by-case basis, as it is context-dependent, situational, flexible and dependent on all actors involved and actual decisions made.<br/><br/>Relevance to clinical practice: Healthcare professionals' actions can facilitate or obstruct observed expressions of the child's best interest. It is essential to enhance healthcare professionals' communication skills, knowledge awareness and continuing education about the rights of children receiving healthcare services. Reflections and discussions on how to protect the best interests of children may help healthcare professionals to uphold children's best interest in daily clinical practice.<br/><br/>Keywords: best interest; child rights; child's perspective; child-centred care; hospitalisation; mutual negotiation; observation.}},
  author       = {{Afua Quaye, Angela and Castor, Charlotte and Coyne, Imelda and Söderbäck, Maria and Kristensson Hallström, Inger}},
  issn         = {{1365-2702}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Clinical Nursing}},
  title        = {{How are children's best interests expressed during their hospital visit?-An observational study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15886}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/jocn.15886}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}