Parental stressors in a pediatric intensive care unit

Parents experience a variety of stressors when their child is hospitalized in an intensive care unit. Thirty-two parents (10 males and 22 females) of children in the pediatric intensive care unit of a children's hospital were surveyed using a revised version of the Carter and Miles (1983) Parental Stressor Scale: Pediatric ICU (PSS:PICU) and one open-ended question to identify their most significant stressors. Some findings agreed with those from previous studies; other results differed. Differences in some areas in fathers' and mothers' perceptions were noted. Two concerns reported were the differences of doctors' opinions regarding the child's care and parents not being able to continually stay with their child.