“The worst journey of our lives”: parents’ experiences of a specialised paediatric retrieval service

Intensive and Critical Care NursingPublished 1 April 2003

Gillian Colville, FIONA E. ORR, David M. Gracey

DOI10.1016/s0964-3397(03)00022-3

Source URL

Citations33

SJR quartileQ1

SJR score1.22

SNIP1.53

TL;DR

Although all parents were routinely provided with written information about the retrieval service, only 46% remember receiving it and satisfaction ratings relating to the period of the child's transit were significantly lower than those related to the other stages of the transfer.

Abstract

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.

Keywords

MedicineHealth Professions

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