Preparing children and families psychologically for day surgery: an evaluation

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Child Psychology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Ambulatory care settings are increasingly used for pediatric surgeries.
• This trend shifts the responsibility of psychological preparation and post-operative care to parents.
• Effective pre-surgical preparation is crucial for children undergoing day surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a pre-admission program designed for psychological preparation of children (ages 3-15) and their families for day surgery.
• To assess the impact of the program on pre-surgical anxiety levels in children and parents.
• To identify key information sources and satisfaction levels among families regarding surgical preparation.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design comparing a pre-admission program group (23 families) with a non-intervention group (53 families).
• The program included a videotape, hospital tour, and hospital play to familiarize families with the day surgery experience.
• Anxiety levels were measured in both children and parents.

Main Results:

• Fewer children and parents in the program group reported high anxiety levels compared to the non-intervention group.
• Families with previous surgical experience exhibited higher pre-surgical anxiety than those without.
• Physicians and day surgery nurses were primary information sources, with nurses receiving highest satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• The pre-admission program is effective in reducing pre-surgical anxiety for children and families in day surgery settings.
• Targeted interventions are needed, especially for young children and families traveling for care.
• Day surgery nurses play a vital role in providing satisfactory information and support to surgical families.