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Published on: November 6, 2019
Preoperative information needs of children undergoing tonsillectomy
1General Operating Theatres, South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Cork, Ireland. buckley_aoife@hotmail.com
Insights
Children need age-appropriate information about tonsillectomy, focusing on surgery details and post-operative care. Mothers are preferred information providers, but optimal delivery methods and timing require further research for effective pediatric preparation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric surgery
- Child psychology
- Health communication
Background:
- Tonsillectomy can cause significant anxiety in children.
- Existing preoperative preparation programs often lack a child-centered perspective.
- Understanding children's specific information needs is crucial for effective anxiety reduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the information needs of children undergoing tonsillectomy.
- To explore preferred content, delivery methods, providers, and timing of information.
- To inform the development of child-centered preoperative educational interventions.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative descriptive study design.
- Interviews with nine children (aged 6-9) using a write and draw technique.
- Thematic analysis of data focusing on information content, method, providers, and timing.
Main Results:
- Children expressed clear information needs regarding surgical procedures and postoperative pain.
- Concerns included the operation, postoperative soreness, and parental presence.
- Mothers were identified as the preferred source of information, though optimal delivery methods and timing remain unclear.
Conclusions:
- Preoperative educational interventions must align with children's identified needs for meaningful surgical preparation.
- Child-centered approaches, such as Q&A leaflets, can enhance understanding.
- Further research is necessary to optimize information delivery for pediatric tonsillectomy patients.
Aims And Objectives:
To identify the information needs of children undergoing tonsillectomy with reference to content of information, method of delivery, information providers and timing of information provision.
Background:
Tonsillectomy can be anxiety provoking for children and preoperative preparation programmes are long recognised to reduce anxiety. However, few have been designed from the perspectives of children and to date little is known about how best to prepare children in terms of what to tell them, how to convey information to them, who can best provide information and what is the best timing for information provision.
Design:
A qualitative descriptive study.
Method:
Data were collected from nine children (aged 6-9) using interviews supported by a write and draw technique. Data were coded and categorised into themes reflecting content, method, providers and timing of information.
Results:
Children openly communicated their information needs especially on what to tell them to expect when facing a tonsillectomy. Their principal concerns were about operation procedures, experiencing 'soreness' and discomfort postoperatively and parental presence. Mothers were viewed as best situated to provide them with information. Children were uncertain about what method of information and timing would be most helpful to them.
Conclusion:
Preoperative educational interventions need to take account of children's information needs so that they are prepared for surgery in ways that are meaningful and relevant to them. Future research is needed in this area.
Relevance To Clinical Practice:
Practical steps towards informing children about having a tonsillectomy include asking them what they need to know and addressing their queries accordingly. Child-centred information leaflets using a question and answer format could also be helpful to children.
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