Hospital and family cooperating to reduce psychological trauma

Abstract

In spite of the advantages of increased parent participation in the hospitalization of children, institutions resist change to facilitate family care. The development of one-day surgical units provides increased flexibility and reduces many psychological stresses. A film was made of one child's experience with outpatient herniorraphy after being held by her mother during induction of anesthesia. The film documents one hospital's effort to meet the psychological needs of parents and children; it also helped change inpatient procedures.