Hospitalization due to bronchiolitis: factors influencing parents' experience

To describe the experience of the parents of children hospitalized due to bronchiolitis.

Phenomenological qualitative study. Purposeful sampling was undertaken of parents with children diagnosed with bronchiolitis, from December 7, 2015 to January 8, 2016, and admitted to the paediatric department of a public hospital of the Madrid Health Service. Data collection strategies included focus groups and researchers' field notes. Afterwards, the data were analyzed using thematic analysis. We included 10 parents, aged between 30 and 39 years. Five themes were explored: perception of monitoring, need to know, perception of child fragility, coping strategies, and reorganization of the family environment.

Oxygen saturation monitoring through devices produced dependence and uncertainty in the parents. In addition, there was a need to know and understand the technical language, which encouraged searching for information on the Internet. The parents perceived the fragility of the hospitalized child through their appearance and physical state. In addition, they developed different coping strategies to seek and confirm information, to approach professionals and be present with their children. Finally, the family was reorganised to maintain the constant presence of the parents during hospitalization.

The results obtained can help paediatric professionals manage the information given to parents and thus empower them.