"The worst journey of our lives": parents' experiences of a specialised paediatric retrieval service

"The worst journey of our lives": parents' experiences of a specialised paediatric retrieval service

Colville G; Orr F; Gracey D

Intensive and Critical Care Nursing

2003

Child; Humans; Intensive Care Units; Pediatric; retrospective studies; Nonparametric; Statistics; ICU Decision Making; Parents/psychology; London; Consumer Satisfaction/statistics & numerical data; Transportation of Patients/standards

In this retrospective study, a sample of 233 parents were surveyed, by means of a postal questionnaire, about their experience of a specialised paediatric retrieval service (median time interval after child's retrieval=10 months). Although all parents were routinely provided with written information about the retrieval service, only 46% remember receiving it. Also, although generally high, satisfaction ratings relating to the period of the child's transit were significantly lower (P<0.005) than those relating to the other stages of the transfer. Two main reasons were given by parents for their dissatisfaction: distress at being separated from their critically ill child and logistic problems locating and parking at the new hospital. Implications for future service provision are considered.

2003

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