Parental presence during pediatric anesthetic inductions

Abstract

Children's responses to parental presence during anesthetic induction have been researched thoroughly; however, not much is known about the response of parents to being present at their child's induction. The purpose of this research was to examine parent's preparation for, attitudes and emotions about, and experiences with being present for their child's anesthetic induction. Participants included parents who accompanied their children ranging from 1 to 10 years of age during induction by general anesthesia. Multiple-choice surveys were distributed preoperatively to a convenience sample of 55 parents who were present for their child's anesthetic induction. Of 55 surveys, 38 (69%) were returned postoperatively. Data were analyzed using frequency distributions, cross-tabulations with chi 2 tests, and correlation coefficients. In general, parents felt accurately prepared and satisfied with their preparation. They thought their presence was beneficial to their child, themselves, and anesthesia personnel. Overall satisfaction with preparation was related to the completeness of the information they received (r = 0.35; P < .04). Complete and accurate information about the induction event before surgery and emotional support during induction are important psychosocial aspects of anesthesia care for parents who plan to be present during their child's induction.