The Effects of Concrete-objective Information on Parental Anxiety and Parental Participation in Care for Children in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the effects of concrete-objective information on parental anxiety and parental participation in care for children in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Design: Quasi-experimental study, the pretest-posttest control group design.

Methods: Sixty-six parents of children who had been on endotracheal tubes and respirators were recruited from Buddhachinaraj Hospital in Phitsanulok province. They were assigned into experimental and control groups of 33 each. The experimental group received concrete-objective information via video, providing explanations about physical sensations and symptoms that occurred, temporal characteristics, environmental features, and causes of sensations, symptoms and experiences. The control group received routine information. The State Anxiety Inventory Form Y-1 (Thai version) was used to assess parental anxiety. The Index of Parent Participation was modified and used to evaluate parental participation in care. Data were analyzed by using independent t-test and analysis of covariance with pre-test anxiety score as a covariate.

Main findings: The parental anxiety mean score of the experimental group at 48 hours after admission was significantly lower than that of the control group (p < .01). The parental participation mean score of the experimental group at 72 hours after admission was also significantly higher than that of the control group (p < .01).

Conclusion and recommendations: These findings indicate that providing concrete-objective information via video can reduce parental anxiety and increase parental participation in care for children in pediatric intensive care unit. Provision of the concrete-objective information should be encouraged as a routine nursing practice.