Parental involvement in decision-making about their child's health care at the hospital.
Antje Aarthun, Knut A Øymar, Kristin Akerjordet
PMID 30534394WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of hospitalized children described decision-making as demanding.
They needed clear, consistent information and professionals who asked what they wanted. Involvement varied widely, with some nurses actively including them and others simply giving care.
Key findings
01Parents described their role as demanding, especially when care felt discontinuous and information was inconsistent.
02Parents needed sufficient, consistent and individually tailored information before they felt able to take part in decisions.
03How involved parents felt depended on how nurses and other professionals invited them, with some actively asking and others simply giving care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 12 parents were interviewed at one Norwegian paediatric hospital, so the findings may not represent all families. The sample had few males and no single parents, which limits transferability. The parents were not asked to confirm the themes, so the interpretation rests on the researchers' analysis. Because this was qualitative, it describes experiences and preferences, not whether any communication method improved child health or care.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and publication of this article.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the parents' described preference for involvement as evidence that involving parents improves child outcomes. This qualitative study describes experiences from 12 parents in one hospital and does not test effects.