Abstract
BACKGROUND: Nurses, as the most critical and largest professional group providing care to children and families, play a crucial role in collaborating with the parents of hospitalized children. The foundation of nursing care is based on a family-centered approach, where families are actively involved in the care process. The provision of family-centered care in educational and medical centers requires skilled nurses with high self-efficacy. Nurses with high self-efficacy are believed to demonstrate high competence in collaborating with children, parents, and colleagues. Therefore, the present study examines the relationship between nurses' professional self-efficacy and parents' perceptions of family-centered care. METHODS: The present descriptive-correlational study was conducted in 2024 at the Pediatric Specialty Center of Ardabil in northwest Iran. 200 nurses were selected using a census method, and 220 parents of hospitalized children were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using two valid and reliable tools: the Professional Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Nurses, and the Perception of Family-Centered Care for Parents Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression tests using SPSS version 24. RESULTS: According to the results, 54% of the nurses and 78% of the parents reported their level of professional self-efficacy and perception of family-centered care as moderate, respectively. Statistical analysis has not revealed significant correlations between demographic variables professional self-efficacy and perception of family center care. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that professional self-efficacy and subscales were predictors of parents' perception of family-centered care. The selected predictors accounted for 2.6% of the total variance in the perception of family-centered care (F = 2.79, P = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed a limited association between nurses' professional self-efficacy and parents' perceptions of family-centered care. Consequently, there is a clear imperative for nursing leadership to implement targeted interventions to bolster nurses' self-efficacy. Specifically, organizing workshops designed to enhance nurses' confidence and foster collaborative partnerships with parents is recommended. Such initiatives have the potential to significantly improve the delivery of high-quality nursing care to hospitalized children, ultimately optimizing patient outcomes and family satisfaction. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.