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Intensive Care Medicine
Published in: Intensive Care Medicine 2/2011

Open Access 01-02-2011 | Pediatric Original

A qualitative study exploring the experiences of parents of children admitted to seven Dutch pediatric intensive care units

Authors: Jos M. Latour, Johannes B. van Goudoever, Beatrix Elink Schuurman, Marcel J. I. J. Albers, Nicolette A. M. van Dam, Eugenie Dullaart, Marc van Heerde, Carin W. M. Verlaat, Elise M. van Vught, Jan A. Hazelzet

Published in: Intensive Care Medicine | Issue 2/2011

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Abstract

Purpose

To explore parents' experiences during the admission of their children to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Method

Qualitative method using in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was applied to capture parents’ experiences. Thirty-nine mothers and 25 fathers of 41 children admitted to seven of the eight PICUs in university medical centers in The Netherlands were interviewed.

Results

Parents were interviewed within 1 month after their child’s discharge from a PICU. Thematic analysis identified 1,514 quotations that were coded into 63 subthemes. The subthemes were categorized into six major themes: attitude of the professionals; coordination of care; emotional intensity; information management; environmental factors; parent participation. Most themes had an overarching relationship representing the array of experiences encountered by parents when their child was staying in a PICU. The theme of emotional intensity was in particular associated with all the other themes.

Conclusions

The findings provided a range of themes and subthemes describing the complexity of the parental experiences of a PICU admission. The subthemes present a systematic and thematic basis for the development of a quantitative instrument to measure parental experiences and satisfaction with care. The findings of this study have important clinical implications related to the deeper understanding of parental experiences and improving family-centered care.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
A qualitative study exploring the experiences of parents of children admitted to seven Dutch pediatric intensive care units
Authors
Jos M. Latour
Johannes B. van Goudoever
Beatrix Elink Schuurman
Marcel J. I. J. Albers
Nicolette A. M. van Dam
Eugenie Dullaart
Marc van Heerde
Carin W. M. Verlaat
Elise M. van Vught
Jan A. Hazelzet
Publication date
01-02-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Intensive Care Medicine / Issue 2/2011
Print ISSN: 0342-4642
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1238
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-010-2074-3

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