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[Nursing professional image in the health centre: children's perceptions of our clothing]
Eva Tizón Bouza1, María Concepción Santiago López, Miriam Vázquez Campo
1Área Sanitaria de Ferrol, SERGAS, A Coruña, España. eva.tizon.bouza@sergas.es
Insights
Children prefer young, female nurses in blue, patterned uniforms. This study explored paediatric patient perceptions of nurse attire to build trust in healthcare settings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric nursing
- Patient perception
- Healthcare communication
Context:
- Understanding patient preferences is crucial in pediatric healthcare.
- Nurse attire can influence patient-child and family trust.
- This study focuses on a specific pediatric population in Spain.
Purpose:
- To assess the opinions of pediatric patients regarding nurse clothing.
- To identify preferred nurse attire characteristics among children.
- To explore the relationship between nurse appearance and patient trust.
Summary:
- A cross-sectional study surveyed 112 children aged 3-5 years at Pontedeume Health Centre.
- Participants preferred young, female nurses wearing blue uniforms, ideally with patterns.
- The study highlights the importance of nurse attire in establishing initial patient rapport.
Impact:
- Findings can inform uniform policies to enhance child patient comfort and trust.
- Results emphasize the non-verbal communication aspects of nursing care.
- This research contributes to improving the pediatric patient experience through environmental and professional presentation adjustments.
Objective:
The objective is to evaluate the opinions of a paediatric population of Pontedeume Health Centre, A Coruña, Spain regarding the clothing of nurses.
Method:
A descriptive analytical cross-sectional study with of paediatric patients in Pontedeume Health Centre between the months of March and April 2010. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 14 questions completed during a 15-minute semi-structured interview, and included a presentation with different pictures. This was carried out with the child and the person accompanying him/her, after obtaining verbal consent.
Results:
The profile of the 112 paediatric interviews obtained was, a girl, aged 3-5 years, who had never been admitted to hospital, and who came with her mother to a healthy child clinic during the morning shift. Most children interviewed preferred young female nurses, working in completely blue uniform, with patterns, if possible. Although the fact of our different types of clothing really has nothing to do with our professionalism and our expertise, we know that the first step in the care relationship is to win the trust of our patients and families.
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