Parents experiences of their child's care during hospitalization

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Healthcare Quality
• Patient Experience Research
• Qualitative Health Research

Background:

• Healthcare quality metrics for children are less developed than for adults.
• The role of parent-caregiver interactions in pediatric care quality is understudied.
• Understanding parental perspectives is vital for improving hospitalized children's care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore parents' experiences of care quality for their hospitalized children.
• To identify how parents perceive and evaluate the care their children receive.
• To understand the parent-caregiver relationship in the context of pediatric hospitalization.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study informed by grounded theory.
• Convenience sample of six parent participants.
• Exploration of parents' lived experiences with hospitalized children.

Main Results:

• Parents experience hospitalized childcare through four interconnected processes: facing boundaries, attempting to understand, coping with uncertainty, and seeking reassurance.
• The parent-caregiver relationship is central to parents' coping mechanisms.
• The parent-caregiver relationship influences parents' perceptions of their and their child's needs being met.

Conclusions:

• The parent-caregiver relationship significantly impacts the perceived quality of care for hospitalized children.
• Addressing parental needs within the caregiving dynamic is essential for quality improvement.
• Further research is needed to validate and expand upon these findings in pediatric settings.