Parental use of a paediatric emergency department as an ambulatory care service.
OBJECTIVE
This qualitative study explored the parental attitudes, perceptions and beliefs that play a role in the use of a tertiary paediatric emergency department (PED) when a child has a non-urgent illness.


METHODS
Semi-structured, in-depth interviews of 25 parents of children with non-urgent illnesses were conducted in the waiting room of a tertiary PED in Western Sydney in 1998. Inductive analysis was used to identify dominant themes.


RESULTS
Parents used their own system of triage to choose the appropriate service for their sick child. The perceived expertise of the tertiary PED, access and parental expectations all appeared to be major factors in parental use of a PED.


CONCLUSIONS
The parental choice to attend a PED is a dynamic, complex and unique process and the parental views that underpin this process often diverge from those of health professionals about the most 'appropriate' use of a PED.


CONCLUSIONS
A clearer understanding by health professionals of the factors influencing parental choice will promote more effective collaboration with parents and ultimately assist in the decision on the best management option for sick children.
Woolfenden
S
S
New Children's Hospital, New South Wales.
Ritchie
J
J
Hanson
R
R
Nossar
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006300:Health Services Misuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014218:Triage; D014504:Urban Health