Permitted Visits to the ICU or Not—Children and Parents’ Experiences

Introduction: Children need intensive care in the first days after open-heart surgery. In some hospitals visits to Intensive Care Units (ICU), are not allowed, even by parents. Aim: The study aimed to illuminate the experiences of children and parents regarding permission or not to visit the ICU. Subjects and Methods: Twenty children aged between 8 and 15 years with planned open-heart surgery, together with their parents, were chosen consecutively to participate in the study. They were divided into two groups. Group 1, followed the routine with no visits by parents allowed to the ICU. Group 2 were allowed such visits. Data were collected through open interviews with parents and children, following an interview guide. Results “Missing” was the overall theme illustrated in the findings, with two major categories;“being seen” and “taking care” being developed. The parents trusted the expert knowledge of the medical staff but Missing was strongly expressed and influenced the feelings within the categories in Group 1. Parents felt they were not seen and the lack of information made them anxious, frightened and feel they were losing control over their parenthood. They asked to see their children only briefly to allay their fears. They knew their children’s needs and thought they could help by taking care of practical issues to improve their well-being. All children in this group felt sad and abandoned. The families in Group 2 felt happy and confident despite not being allowed to stay with children all the time. The parents felt included in their care, which had a positive effect on the children.

Exploring attendance at emergency departments for children with non-urgent conditions in Turkey: a qualitative study of parents and healthcare staff perspectives

Background:Overcrowding in Emergency Departments(EDs)is a significant global concern with negative consequences for patients,healthcare staff,and healthcare systems.The use of EDs by parents of children with non-urgent conditions is associated with overcrowding,higher healthcare costs,lower quality of care,and longer waiting times.Research in this area has largely been conducted in high-income countries,with a dearth of work originating in middle and low-income regions.The aim of this study was to explore the reasons for parents attending EDs with their child for non-urgent conditions in Turkey.Method:Semi-structuredinterviews wereconductedwith 13parents,15 EDstaff,and10GeneralPractitioners(GPs)in2 regions of Turkey between March and May 2017.Data were analyzed using the principles of grounded theory.Results:The findings were classified into 5 core categories:(1)parents’feelings,knowledge,and perceived inability to provide self-care;(2)perceived limitationsofhealthcare services,system,and staff;(3)parents’preferencesforhospital andED services;(4)adverse impact on ED services;and(5)perceived needs for care.Conclusion:This is the first study conducted in a middle-income country regarding parental reasons for using the ED for non-urgent conditions.Greater efforts must be made to reduce unnecessary visits to the ED to better meet service user needs and to increase the satisfaction of both parents and healthcare staff.The findings of this study may inform healthcare providers,policymakers,healthcare staff,and researchers to design interventions in order to mitigate overcrowding in the ED.