The "HUG": an innovative approach to pediatric nursing care

Abstract

The HUG (Help, Understanding, and Guidance for Young Families) is an innovative approach to pediatric nursing care developed by the authors and designed to support parents in optimizing the health and well-being of their children. Research evidence suggests that there is a gap between what the pediatric world promises and what it delivers and between what parents want from their providers and what they actually get. The HUG is intended to distill aspects of the literature into accessible, memorable, and practical strategies that pediatric nurses at all levels and in varied settings can use. Three HUG strategies are Start Here, Not There; See, Then Share; and Gaze, Then Engage. Nurses' use of the HUG is aimed at helping nurses enhance their relationships with parents, helping parents feel heard and attended to, encouraging parents to share what worries them most, and increasing nurses' job satisfaction.