Preparing Parents to Be Present for Their Child's Anesthesia Induction: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Kristen M Bailey1, Sally J Bird, Patrick J McGrath

  • 1From the Centre for Pediatric Pain Research, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Insights

A brief preparation intervention for parental presence during anesthesia induction did not reduce children's anxiety. However, parents receiving the intervention showed increased self-efficacy in the operating room.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesia
  • Child Psychology
  • Parental Support

Background:

  • Parental presence during anesthesia induction (PPIA) is common in pediatric care.
  • Standard preparation for PPIA may not fully equip parents for their role.
  • Brief interventions can potentially enhance parental preparedness and child outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare a brief preparation intervention for PPIA with standard PPIA preparation.
  • To evaluate the impact of the intervention on children's preoperative anxiety and cooperation.
  • To assess parental anxiety and self-efficacy during the anesthesia induction process.

Main Methods:

  • 93 children (2-10 years) and their parents participated in a randomized trial.
  • Parents were assigned to either a brief PPIA preparation or standard PPIA group.
  • Children's anxiety, cooperation, delirium, and pain were measured; parents' anxiety and self-efficacy were also assessed.

Main Results:

  • The brief preparation intervention did not significantly reduce children's preoperative anxiety at any measured point.
  • Parents in the intervention group showed a trend towards higher self-efficacy regarding their role in the operating room.
  • No significant differences were found in children's cooperation, emergence delirium, or postoperative pain between groups.

Conclusions:

  • A brief video-based intervention for parental presence during anesthesia induction was not effective in reducing children's preoperative anxiety.
  • Further research is needed to monitor parental behavior and optimize support for PPIA.
  • Enhancing parental self-efficacy may be a potential benefit, but its impact on child anxiety requires further investigation.
Abstract

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