Children's and adolescents' experiences while undergoing cardiac catheterization.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the experiences of children and adolescents undergoing a cardiac catheterization.


METHODS
Caucasian children and adolescents (N = 24), 9-17 years, male and female, undergoing cardiac catheterization.


METHODS
Exploratory design utilizing content analysis. The authors used an interview guide with 4 subsections to elicit self-reports of knowledge, perceptions, emotions, and evaluations.


RESULTS
Major themes were anticipatory anxiety, pain, invasion of privacy, and being comforted. Many children had misconceptions or lack of knowledge of the procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses' knowledge of the impact on children and adolescents of a cardiac catheterization room, high-technology equipment, and invasive procedures may increase their sensitivity to children's and adolescents' perceptions of the experiences and promote individualized nursing care.
Pederson
C
C
University of Minnesota School of Nursing, MN, USA.
Harbaugh
B L
BL
D000293:Adolescent; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors