Expectations of the parents in relation to nursing care of the child in hospital conditions

Nurses are the persons with whom child patients and their parents are in contact with most often during their stay in hospital, and from whom they require professionalism, concern, safety and respect of their rights.
Aim: The purpose of the work was to assess parents’ evaluation of the nursing care provided to children hospitalized in the Department of Children’s Surgery.
Material and method: A questionnaire designed for the purposes of the study was applied. The study group comprised 58 parents of children hospitalized in the Department of Children\'s Surgery from Biziel Hospital in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The investigation was conducted in 2008. The statistical calculations were made using the c2 test.
Results: 47 women and 11 men participated in the study. Patients’ age was diverse and varied from several days to 16 years old. The data indicate that the expectations of parents depended on mode of party and the aim of stay, or whether the child spent time under observation, or underwent an operation. Participation of the nurse in preparation of the child for research and operative procedure was evaluated by children’s parents. 76% of parents gave a high evalukation, 19% average, 3% low.
Conclusions: The general assessment of the nurses\' care is very good according to the parents of children staying at the Children’s Surgery Ward. What the patients expect from the nursing staff is not only manual abilities but also kindness, understanding and support in such difficult times. After the treatment of a child, their parents expect from a nurse to receive some advice concerning further actions and an understandable explanation of all aspects connected with discharge.