The preparation of children for day surgery from the parent's viewpoint: A mixed methods study.
Heli Kerimaa, Mervi Hakala, Marianne Haapea and 2 others
PMID 38436537WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of preschoolers preparing for day surgery relied on home discussions about anaesthesia and recovery, not just hospital instructions.
They valued flexible timing and materials that matched their child's development, and wanted staff to respect their knowledge of their child.
Key findings
01Most parents initiated preparation at home, discussing specific procedural details like anaesthesia and recovery with their child.
02Qualitative analysis identified three core needs: usable preparation methods, timely and sufficient content, and consideration of the family perspective.
03Parents emphasized that staff should value their expertise regarding their child's needs and developmental level.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small, with only 41 parents in the quantitative phase and 15 in the qualitative phase. Data were collected from only one hospital, limiting generalisability. Most respondents were mothers (90% quantitative, 87% qualitative), so fathers' perspectives are underrepresented. The quantitative phase was nested within a randomised controlled trial, which may have influenced participants' experiences or responses. Interviews were conducted in the hospital environment before surgery, which may have affected parents' candour or stress levels.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. Funding was received from the Research Foundation of the Mannerheim Child Protection Union and the Society for Research in Nursing Sciences (HTTS).
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high satisfaction scores as evidence that current preparation methods are effective in reducing child anxiety or improving clinical outcomes. The study reports parents' subjective satisfaction and experiences with information, not clinical efficacy or behavioural outcomes.