Family participation during intensive care rounds

Abstract

Although parents prefer to attend morning rounds and have reported increased satisfaction with care when they do, physicians express a variety of opinions and concerns. In this issue of The Journal, Stickney et al at Harvard University and Boston Childrens Hospital report a cross-sectional survey of 100 parents and 131 providers in a tertiary care pediatric intensive care unit to investigate their perception. They found that many more parents reported a preference to attend rounds than healthcare providers reported a preference for parental presence. There also were significant differences in the perception of understanding of parents, with healthcare providers significantly less likely to perceive that parents understood both the format and content of rounds. Future efforts to increase parent participation in rounds will need to address the issues raised by this study. Article page 402▶ Family Participation during Intensive Care Unit Rounds: Attitudes and Experiences of Parents and Healthcare Providers in a Tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care UnitThe Journal of PediatricsVol. 164Issue 2PreviewTo compare the experiences and attitudes of healthcare providers and parents regarding parental participation in morning rounds, in particular to evaluate for differences in perception of parental comprehension of rounds content and parental comfort with attendance, and to identify subgroups of parents who are more likely to report comfort with attending rounds. Full-Text PDF