Rachel, you can look up The Patient and Family Centered Care Institute: www.ipfcc.org
My hospital system is on this journey.  The Children's Hospital, Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood Florida was the first to start adopting this culture of thinking.  We have 5 other hospitals in this system also and we are all following this new culture.  It is a journey, we are constantly trying to help everyone understand it.  We have actual families who sit on our medication committees, safety committees, educational committees, etc.  So when we make policies we are listening from their perspective, not just doing what we think is right.  
Parents go every where in the hospital with their children, for all lab work, testing, etc, in pre op and immediately in post op areas, etc. They sleep over, they are never told to leave their children.  EVER.

THIS IS THE SAFEST THING for a hospital to do.  In any area.  We have avoided major problems by listening to a wife, a daughter, a friend tell us "no, he shouldn't take that drug, or he only moves if he can get out on the left side of the bed, etc".  We do NOT know your family member like you do.  You know them and we need to listen to you and STOP doing what we think is best.  Our ICU adults are allowed their families/friends with them 24 hours/7 days a week.  Family is defined as whom ever they believe their family is.  It could be their neighbor, the mailman, etc!  It is NOT up to us to tell them who is best to be with them!  That is crazy, let's make them well, comfortable and as happy as possible and SAFE.  The people they want to be with them are their business and we need to listen to them!  We have had a family dog in the MRI with a child who had a disability, etc!!

I would encourage all of the hosptial staffs everywhere to pursue this journey.  I am part of the PFCC (Patient and Family Centered Care) champions in my hospital.  I "see" it and I "get" it, not everyone is completely on board yet, but it is happening.  We have conferences every year to help teach the staff New employees are taught in orientation.  We had a blitz a couple of years ago where all staff had to take a one hour class.  It is hard, they don't all "get it".  

Pamela Hendrix, BA, RNIV, IBCLC, RLC


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