title: Telephone follow-up for pediatric ambulatory surgery: parent and provider satisfaction.
abstract: Traditional 4- to 6-week clinic follow-up after pediatric ambulatory surgery does not rapidly identify complications and is often a burden for parents. Telephone follow-up offers support and is preferred in a variety of adult populations, but there is little research in pediatrics to support this practice. This article describes a practice change involving a standardized telephone follow-up protocol by a pediatric nurse practitioner to parents within 1 week of their child's ambulatory surgery. An interview survey method was used to evaluate parent satisfaction with telephone follow-up and desire for a clinic visit. Staff satisfaction and resource utilization are also described.
authors.affiliation: Duke University School of Nursing, DUMC 3322, Durham, NC, USA. ebkassmann@bellsouth.net
authors.forename: Barbara P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Kassmann
authors.forename: Sharron L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Docherty
authors.forename: Henry E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010290:Parents; D061214:Patient Safety; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors