Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2025
Involving Individuals with Developmental Language Disorder and Their Parents/Carers in Research Priority Setting
Published on: June 6, 2020
Parents' perceptions of patient safety in paediatric hospital care-A mixed-methods systematic review
Maria I Witkowska1, Katja Janhunen1, Natalia Sak-Dankosky2
1Department of Nursing Science, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
Insights
Parents want to be involved in their child's hospital care but need healthcare professional support. Improved communication and recognizing parents as partners are key to enhancing paediatric patient safety.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Patient Safety
- Healthcare Communication
- Parental Engagement in Healthcare
Background:
- Understanding parental perspectives is crucial for improving safety in pediatric hospital settings.
- Previous research has not comprehensively synthesized parental views on patient safety experiences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and summarize existing evidence on pediatric patient safety from the parents' viewpoint.
- To identify key themes related to parental perceptions of safety during hospitalization.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted, searching multiple databases (PubMed, Scopus, etc.) in July 2023.
- Two independent researchers applied eligibility criteria, selected studies, and appraised quality.
- Data were synthesized using a convergent synthesis and thematic content analysis approach.
Main Results:
- Twelve studies (8 qualitative, 2 cross-sectional, 1 non-randomized experimental, 1 mixed-methods) were included.
- Key themes emerged: parental perceptions of inclusion and exclusion in patient safety.
- Subthemes included communication comfort, engagement, difficulties, withdrawal, information uncertainty, and safety threats.
Conclusions:
- Parents are willing to participate in care but require support and clear communication from healthcare providers.
- Recognizing parents as valuable partners in communication and decision-making is essential for enhancing pediatric patient safety.
- Interventions prioritizing parental involvement in ensuring the safety of hospitalized children are critically needed.
Aim(S):
To identify and summarize evidence on paediatric patient safety in a hospital setting from parents' point of view.
Design:
A mixed-methods systematic review.
Prospero Id:
ID number CRD42023453626.
Data Sources:
PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library and the Wiley database were searched in July 2023.
Review Methods:
Two researchers independently applied eligibility criteria, selected studies and conducted a quality appraisal. Data-based convergent synthesis and thematic content analysis were employed.
Results:
Twelve studies were included: eight qualitative research studies, two cross-sectional studies, one non-randomized experimental study and one mixed-methods study. The results were grouped into two themes-parental perceptions of inclusion in paediatric patient safety and parental perceptions of exclusion from paediatric patient safety-and comprised seven main subthemes: comfort in communication, parental engagement, communication difficulties, withdrawal from activity, uncertainty about available information and threats to patient safety.
Conclusions:
Parents are willing to be engaged in care but require support from healthcare professionals, as they are often anxious about the condition of their children and actions they believe might be helpful. They need to be treated as valuable partners and be engaged in communication and decision processes.
Impact:
The development and implementation of interventions involving parents in ensuring the safety of hospitalized paediatric patients should be of the utmost priority to healthcare organizations, as the common theme throughout the included studies was the need for improved communication with and recognition of parents as allies.
Reporting Method:
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) checklist was followed.
Patient Or Public Contribution:
No Patient or Public Contribution.
Related Concept Videos
01:08Obedience
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
01:27Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
01:13Patient-centered Care
01:21Methods of Documentation III: PIE
01:18Guidelines and Strategies for Safe Computer Charting
Maintain Confidentiality and Security: