Parental Perspectives on Pediatric Surgical Recovery
Author Information
Author(s): Rohatgi Nidhi, Baskovic Marko, Elbattah Mahmoud, Luo Jessica, West Nicholas C, Pang Samantha, Robillard Julie M, Page Patricia, Chadha Neil K, Gan Heng, Correll Lynnie R, Ridgway Randa, Broemling Natasha, Görges Matthias
Primary Institution: BC Children’s Hospital
Hypothesis
This study aimed to understand families’ perspectives regarding their children’s surgical recovery using qualitative patient experience data.
Conclusion
Collecting parental recovery feedback is feasible and valued by families, highlighting the need for improved communication strategies between health care providers and parents.
Supporting Evidence
- 91% of enrolled families completed at least 1 postoperative survey.
- 53% of families provided at least 1 free-text comment.
- 82% of comments were largely positive regarding recovery and clinical care experience.
- Key themes for improvement included communication, length of stay, and recovery experience.
Takeaway
Parents shared their thoughts on how their kids did after surgery, and many had good things to say, but they also wanted better communication from doctors and nurses.
Methodology
Parents or guardians of children aged 0-18 years who underwent surgery at a pediatric tertiary care facility provided feedback through web-based surveys, including free-text comments.
Potential Biases
Participants were recruited from a single institution, which may limit the generalizability of the results.
Limitations
The study was a secondary analysis and responses from patients aged 13-18 years were missed during early postoperative days due to design constraints.
Participant Demographics
Of the 242 included participants, 76% were mothers, 22% were fathers, and 1% were guardians; the median age of patients was 7 years, with a bimodal age distribution.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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