The aspects of parents’ stay with a child in hospital

Introduction. The requirements of modern medicine and state-of-the-art standards of nursing reflect the necessity of hospitalising ill children
and providing them with parental care. This is particularly important in the case of hospitalisation of the smallest children, chronically ill
children or children in terminal states. This brings about new challenges for nursing, both as regards premises and organisational requirements
and the ethical aspects of nursing.

Aim of the study. The purpose of the work was to learn about the knowledge and opinions of parents with regard to the right to care for
their child in hospital, resulting from the awareness of the provisions of the European Charter for Children in Hospital and the hospital
procedures regarding the conduct of a parent staying at a hospital department with their child. The other purpose was the determination to
what extent and in what activities parents engage when caring for their child during the child’s stay at hospital.
Material and methods. The research was carried out in a group of 84 parents (79 women and 5 men), caring for their children in hospital
24 hours a day. The participation in the research was anonymous and voluntary. The research was carried out at the Children’s Hospital in
Bielsko-Biała, the Paediatric Department, where children between 1 month and 18 years of age are hospitalised. The average time of stay of
a child at the Department was 5-6 days. The research was carried out from January to May 2009. An anonymous questionnaire developed
by the authors was used in the research.

Results. Parents are helpful in caring for a hospitalised child, however, their stay in hospital contributes to various difficulties as regards the
amenities of the department and work organisation. With time, the forms of parents cooperation with hospital staff shall be changing and
improving by the moment there shall be developed effective care standards, which will give parents a role in the therapeutic team of the
department.

Conclusions:

1. Parents knowledge of the right to care for a child must be improved. Parents are not aware of their right to care for a child (75%) but are
aware of the hospital procedure regarding parents staying with their child at the department (91%).

2. Attempts should be made with the aim of adjusting the amenities of medical centres to the needs of the parents.

3. Interpersonal communication between parents and medical personnel must be improved (respect and good manners in the relationship).

4. Parents should be enabled participation in treatment and diagnostic tests of their children.

Nursing Topics 2010; 18 (2): 169-175