Evaluating children's literature as a source for patient education

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Health Literacy
• Children's Literature

Background:

• Children's literature offers a valuable tool for educating young patients about medical procedures.
• Accurate and developmentally appropriate materials are crucial for effective patient education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the appropriateness of children's books for patient education regarding surgery and hospitalization.
• To identify common inaccuracies in existing literature.

Main Methods:

• A senior author reviewed 23 children's books on surgery and hospitalization.
• A seven-step process was used to assess developmental appropriateness and content accuracy.

Main Results:

• Four common content inaccuracies were identified: nurse roles, visitation policies, preoperative preparation, and surgery settings.
• Only 4 out of 23 books were recommended for use in the authors' community.

Conclusions:

• Many children's books contain inaccuracies regarding surgical and hospital experiences.
• A systematic review process is essential for selecting reliable patient education materials.