Kristi Ilene Page
Abstract: Parental Perspectives of Having a Child on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: An Integrative Review
The purpose of this integrative review is to gain insight into what parents endure when they have a child on extracorporeal membranous oxygenation (ECMO), as well as to determine which areas require future research regarding this topic, in order to further enhance patient and family care and promote future studies. A careful review of the literature from 2000 to the present resulted in the identification of 11 studies related to the parental experience of having a child on ECMO. The limited number of studies specifically concentrating on parents of children on ECMO influenced the decision to expand the focus to include studies about the parental experience of having a child on mechanical ventilation and studies about having a child either in a neonatal or pediatric intensive care unit. All of the studies reviewed were conducted by nurse researchers and most were qualitative studies. Findings from this review revealed the following overarching themes: stress and anxiety, relief, coping, and autonomy and decision-making. Implications for future research include the need for research from the father's perspective and the inclusion of parents from different cultural and educational backgrounds, including non-English speaking parents. There is also a need for longitudinal studies and studies specifically addressing the parental perspective of ECMO. Findings from this review are important because if nurses are going to develop and implement family-centered interventions for children on ECMO and their parents, they need to be aware of parental perspectives on this experience.
