Anticipatory Guidance Educational Program
One Day at a Time: An Anticipatory Guidance Educational Program for Parents of Children with Cancer
Project Leader: Jennifer Darcy, PhD RN CPNP | Administrative Director for Nursing Research
Institution: Long Island Jewish Medical Center | Queens, New York
Grant Type: Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation Evidence-Based Practice Grant
Year Awarded: 2019
Abstract
It is consensus that a child fighting cancer and their entire familyar~ under a huge amount of distress affecting their quality of life and psychosocial wellbeing. The objective of our project is to provide parents of children ages 0- 18 years with a structured psychosocial guide on how to parent a child throughout the trajectory of cancer care, including survivorship. This is in alignment with the mission of the Mattie Miracle Foundation, whose pledge is to provide psychosocial support to all families from diagnosis into survivorship or bereavement. The practice change is translated from Standard_7_of the Pediatric Oncology Psychoso_cial Standards. The interdisciplinary team has developed a curriculum based on a review of the literature and clinical expertise. The implementation plan will begin with a needs assessment (caregiver self-perceived confidence) to be completed by the caregivers to capture patient preference and need. The topics in the assessment are day to day parenting the sick child. Setting limits with the child and siblings, answering questions. Balancing needs. Using reward and punishment and administering medication. The sessions will be adjusted and expanded based on the needs of the caregivers. Along with the educational sessions, written material will be available for the parent to refer back to when home and facing a new situation. The caregiver’s self-perceived confidence in dealing with individual situations will be measured after attending the class and having the book. All measurements will be done utilizing a5 point Likert scale. Results will be utilized to develop and enrich future classes and material.