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Parental presence during induction of anaesthesia: practice differences between the United States and Great Britain
Z N Kain1, C A Ferris, L C Mayes
1Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Insights
British pediatric anesthesiologists widely support parental presence during anesthesia induction, believing it reduces child anxiety and improves cooperation. US counterparts show less support and rarely permit parental presence during this procedure.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Child Psychology in Medical Settings
Background:
- Parental presence during anesthesia induction is a debated practice.
- Understanding anesthesiologists' attitudes is crucial for patient care standards.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare attitudes and practices regarding parental presence during anesthesia induction between Great Britain and the United States.
- To assess the perceived benefits of parental presence on child anxiety and cooperation.
Main Methods:
- A questionnaire survey was distributed to 1353 pediatric anesthesiologists in Great Britain and the United States.
- Nineteen questions addressed attitudes and prevalence of parental presence during anesthesia induction.
Main Results:
- Great Britain respondents showed significantly higher support for parental presence (82% vs. 64% believing it reduces anxiety and increases cooperation, P = 0.001).
- Most US respondents (58%) permit parental presence in <5% of cases, while most UK respondents (84%) permit it in >75% of cases.
- A majority of US respondents do not routinely use the technique, deeming it less useful compared to UK counterparts.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences exist in the attitudes and practices of pediatric anesthesiologists in Great Britain and the United States regarding parental presence.
- The majority of US anesthesiologists surveyed do not routinely permit parental presence, contrasting with the common practice in Great Britain.
Abstract:
A questionnaire was sent to 1353 paediatric anaesthetists in Great Britain and the United States. Nineteen questions were asked about attitudes toward parental presence during induction of anaesthesia and the prevalence of such practice. Overall, respondents from Great Britain support parental presence more than the United States respondents. For example, 82% of the Great Britain respondents, vs 64% of the United States respondents thought that parental presence during induction decreases the anxiety (P = 0.001) and increases the cooperation of the child (P = 0.001). Most United States respondents (58%) allow parental presence in less than 5% of their cases, but most Great Britain respondents (84%) allow parental presence in more than 75% of their cases. We conclude that in contrast to the respondents from Great Britain, the majority of the United States sample does not feel that parental presence is useful and so does not routinely use this technique in their practice.