Dataset Information

Exploring communication between parents and clinical teams following children's heart surgery: a survey in the UK.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To explore communication between clinicians and families of children undergoing heart surgery.

Design

This study was part of a larger study to select, define and measure the incidence of postoperative complications in children undergoing heart surgery. Parents of children recruited to a substudy between October 2015 and December 2017 were asked to complete a questionnaire about communication during their child's inpatient stay. We explored all responses and then disaggregated by the following patient characteristics: presence of a complication, length of stay, hospital site, ethnicity and child's age. This was a descriptive study only.

Setting

Four UK specialist hospitals.

Results

We recruited 585 children to the substudy with 385 responses (response rate 66%).81% of parents reported that new members of staff always introduced themselves (18% sometimes, 1% no). Almost all parents said they were encouraged to be involved in decision-making, but often only to some extent (59% 'yes, definitely'; 37% 'to some extent'). Almost two-thirds of parents said they were told different things by different people which left them feeling confused (10% 'a lot'; 53% 'sometimes'). Two-thirds (66%) reported that staff were definitely aware of their child's medical history (31% 'to some extent'). 90% said the operation was definitely explained to them (9% 'to some extent') and 79% that they were definitely told what to do if they were worried after discharge (17% 'to some extent').Parents of children with a complication tended to give less positive responses for involvement in decision-making, consistent communication and staff awareness of their child's medical history. Parents whose children had longer stays in hospital tended to report lower levels of consistent communication and involvement in decision-making.

Conclusions

Our results emphasise the need for consistent communication with families, particularly where complications arise or for children who have longer stays in the hospital.

SUBMITTER: Pagel C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6542420 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Exploring communication between parents and clinical teams following children's heart surgery: a survey in the UK.

Pagel Christina C Bull Catherine C Utley Martin M Wray Jo J Barron David J DJ Stoica Serban S Tibby Shane M SM Tsang Victor V Brown Katherine L KL

BMJ paediatrics open 20190322 1

<h4>Objective</h4>To explore communication between clinicians and families of children undergoing heart surgery.<h4>Design</h4>This study was part of a larger study to select, define and measure the incidence of postoperative complications in children undergoing heart surgery. Parents of children recruited to a substudy between October 2015 and December 2017 were asked to complete a questionnaire about communication during their child's inpatient stay. We explored all responses and then disaggre ...[more]

PMID: 31206072

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Project description:ObjectivesTo survey clinical practice and opinions of consultant surgeons and anaesthetists caring for children to inform the needs for training, commissioning and management of children's surgery in the UK.DesignThe National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD) hosted an online survey to gather data on current clinical practice of UK consultant surgeons and anaesthetists caring for children.SettingThe questionnaire was circulated to all hospitals and to Anaesthetic and Surgical Royal Colleges, and relevant specialist societies covering the UK and the Channel Islands and was mainly completed by consultants in District General Hospitals.Participants555 surgeons and 1561 anaesthetists completed the questionnaire.Results32.6% of surgeons and 43.5% of anaesthetists considered that there were deficiencies in their hospital's facilities that potentially compromised delivery of a safe children's surgical service. Almost 10% of all consultants considered that their postgraduate training was insufficient for current paediatric practice and 20% felt that recent Continued Professional Development failed to maintain paediatric expertise. 45.4% of surgeons and 39.2% of anaesthetists considered that the current specialty curriculum should have a larger paediatric component. Consultants in non-specialist paediatric centres were prepared to care for younger children admitted for surgery as emergencies than those admitted electively. Many of the surgeons and anaesthetists had <4 h/week in paediatric practice. Only 55.3% of surgeons and 42.8% of anaesthetists participated in any form of regular multidisciplinary review of children undergoing surgery.ConclusionsThere are significant obstacles to consultant surgeons and anaesthetists providing a competent surgical service for children. Postgraduate curricula must meet the needs of trainees who will be expected to include children in their caseload as consultants. Trusts must ensure appropriate support for consultants to maintain paediatric skills and provide the necessary facilities for a high-quality local surgical service.

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Dataset Information

Exploring communication between parents and clinical teams following children's heart surgery: a survey in the UK.

Objective

Design

Setting

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Exploring communication between parents and clinical teams following children's heart surgery: a survey in the UK.

Similar Datasets

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