Observed parental needs during their child's hospitalization

Hospitalization involves that parents are in an unfamiliar environment and their parental role changes. The purpose of this study was to study parental needs during the course of events when their child is hospitalized. Thirty-five parents of 24 children (aged 5 months to 18 years) were followed by observers during their child's hospitalization at a pediatric department in Sweden. Field notes were analyzed by manifest and latent coding. Nine themes characterizing parental needs were identified in the analysis. The themes consisted of the need for security, mediating security to the child, communication, control, pleasing staff, being a competent parent, the family, relief, and satisfying personal needs. The most prominent needs were the need for security and mediating security to the child.