"The worst journey of our lives": parents' experiences of a specialised paediatric retrieval service.
In this retrospective study, a sample of 233 parents were surveyed, by means of a postal questionnaire, about their experience of a specialised paediatric retrieval service (median time interval after child's retrieval=10 months). Although all parents were routinely provided with written information about the retrieval service, only 46% remember receiving it. Also, although generally high, satisfaction ratings relating to the period of the child's transit were significantly lower (P<0.005) than those relating to the other stages of the transfer. Two main reasons were given by parents for their dissatisfaction: distress at being separated from their critically ill child and logistic problems locating and parking at the new hospital. Implications for future service provision are considered.
Colville
Gillian
G
St. George's Hospital Medical School, London SW17 ORE, UK. g.colville@sghms.ac.uk
Orr
Fiona
F
Gracey
David
D
D002648:Child; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D008131:London; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000592:standards*