Parental Experiences in Decision Making in Bringing Children with non-Urgent Medical Conditions to the Emergency Department

Abstract

           This qualitative research used Husserl phenomenology approach. The purpose was to describe the parental experience in decision making in bringing children with non-urgent medical conditions to the emergency department. The informants were mothers who brought their children with non-urgent medical conditions to the emergency department. Data were collected by using the in-depth interview with tape-record and found saturated after 15 informants. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by using Colaizzi method.

            The findings revealed that parental experiences in deciding to bring children with non-urgent medical conditions to the emergency department can be categorized into 4 major themes as follows: 1) anxiety, fear of their children’s symptom will getting worse with their care, when the care is not improved, feeling fear of getting worse, some parents are worried because their children having underlying medical conditions and from past experience their children have had serious illnesses; 2) confidence, trust in their treatment, parents thinking getting services at the emergency department will receiving elaborate physical examination, having fully-equipped medical devices ready to save lives, not getting cured from others therefore want to receive services from the emergency department; 3) being convenient, no emergency department crowding, the service at the emergency department there are few places and procedures for getting treatment, less wait-time, convenient time for travel  and having  someone to bring them to the hospital, and 4) low cost and no redundant expense. Service at the emergency department is not expensive and if bringing children to clinic if condition not improve, it must be re-examined at the hospital. But come to the emergency department if there have serious illnesses they can admit in the hospital not pay for the treatment again.

            The findings reflect the experiences of parents who make decisions in bringing their children to the emergency department. Nurses can use this information in planning better office hour service by using an approach that and applying lean and seamless service delivery. Including creating a teaching model for primary pediatric nursing giving priority to parents, families, to be able to caring their children with non-urgent medical conditions at home. Improving skills in assessing and appropriately. Consider to nursing that is suitable for children and build confidence in the services provided during office hours.