Participation in paediatric perioperative care: 'what it means for parents'.
OBJECTIVE
To explore what it means for parents to participate in their children's paediatric perioperative care.


BACKGROUND
Allowing parents to participate in paediatric perioperative care can make a major difference for children in terms of their well-being, a decreased need for painkillers, fewer sleeping disorders and a more positive experience for both parties. The nurse anaesthetist should have a holistic view and develop a shared vision for the child, the parents and for themselves to perform successful paediatric perioperative care.


METHODS
Descriptive qualitative study.


METHODS
The study was conducted in 2014. Data were collected in 20 narrative interviews with 15 mothers and five fathers who had experience of participating in their child's paediatric perioperative day surgery. The analysis was carried out with qualitative content analysis to describe the variations, differences and similarities in the experiences.


RESULTS
The analysis revealed a main category that describes that parental participation in the context of paediatric perioperative care in day surgery meant 'having strength to participate despite an increased vulnerability'. Three generic categories with additional subcategories explained what was essential for the parents to be able to preserve this strength and participate in their child's care despite their increased vulnerability. The generic categories were named, 'gaining information about what will happen', 'being seen as a resource' and 'gaining access to the environment'.


CONCLUSIONS
Efforts should be made to improve parents' roles and opportunities to participate in paediatric perioperative care.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurse anaesthetists have a crucial role in enabling parents' participation and need knowledge to develop strategies and nursing interventions that meet parents' needs.
Region Halland, Halmstad Hospital, Halmstad, Sweden.|School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden.
Carina
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9877-7357
C
Sjöberg
School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden.
Petra
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4438-6673
P
Svedberg
School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden.
Jens M
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3576-2393
JM
Nygren
School of Health and Welfare, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden.
Ing-Marie
IM
Carlsson
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research
advanced nursing; anxiety; child; decision-making; family-centred care; nurse-patient relationships; parent; preoperative; qualitative approaches