A Care-by-Parent Unit: Its Planning, Implementation and Patient Satisfaction

Influenced by a shortage of nurses, the high cost of hospitalization and a belief that parents can give adequate care to certain hospitalized children a care-by-parent unit (CBPU) was developed Patient care is provided by parents No nurses are on the unit, a unit coordinator is the only hospital personnel A care-by-parent committee composed of representatives from several disciplines gives direction to the unit Unit success has been measured by several criteria Cost-per-patient day has been lowered, physicians have expressed satisfaction, and a survey of children and their parents indicates that both are highly supportive of the unit.