A Survey of Parents Regarding the Admission of a Child for Growth Hormone Monitoring

Abstract

This article describes response to a questionnaire requesting information from parents about their knowledge of hospital facilities/procedures and their satisfaction with the routines associated with the admission of their children for 24-hour growth hormone monitoring. The adjustment of children to stressful medical procedures is more successful if parents can act as "therapeutic allies" to their children. Unless parents have a clear understanding of (and satisfaction with) the procedures their children must undergo, they cannot be expected to fulfill this role adequately. By isolating areas in which parental knowledge is lacking or inaccurate, as well as areas of dissatisfaction, the nursing staff is in a better position to improve patient adjustment to medical procedures and to plan ways of improving patient care. The results of this study indicate that more information about hospital facilities needs to be provided to parents of children who have not had previous hospital admissions. In general, however, most parents were satisfied with the explanation given for why their children had to have growth hormone monitoring and the routines associated with the procedure.