Parents of children in the pediatric intensive care unit: what are their needs?

The concept of total patient care of a critically ill child in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) includes the child's parents. A qualitative, descriptive study was performed to determine parental needs as identified by parents of children in the PICU. Using a flexible, semistructured interview guide, we asked parents about individual and parental role needs that existed while their child was in the PICU. Interview transcriptions underwent content analysis. Parental needs were categorized as physical, psychologic, or sociologic in origin. Finer subcategorizations of need areas were identified. The majority of parental needs were psychologic. Subcategories identified most frequently were "visit or stay with the child" and "child-related information." The specific needs most often identified were to be with the child in the PICU and to receive frequent, accurate and truthful information about the child's condition. Identified needs related primarily to the parental role function and the alleviation of parental stress.