ORCID
- Neill, Sarah: 0000-0001-9699-078X
Abstract
ObjectivesFirst, to explore parents’ views on and experiences of managing their febrile child and to assess their behaviour and needs when in search of information about fever; second, to develop and evaluate a hospital discharge information package about fever in children.DesignMixed methods: (A) qualitative study with semistructured interviews and a focus group discussion (FGD) and (B) quantitative survey.SettingEmergency department, non-acute hospital setting and day nursery in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.ParticipantsParents of children <18 years (interviews, n=22) parents of children under 5 years (FGD (n=14), survey (n=38)).InterventionInformation package about fever in children (leaflet and website including videos).Outcome measures quantitative surveyKnowledge of fever and confidence in caring for a febrile child (Likert scale 0–5).ResultsParents found fever mostly alarming, especially high fever. Help-seeking behaviour was based on either specific symptoms or on an undefined intuition. When parents did not feel recognised in their concern or felt criticised, anxiety increased as well as the threshold to seek healthcare for future illnesses. Information was needed, especially for situations when the general practitioner or social network were less easily available. This information should be reliable, consistent, available in multiple formats and include advice on management of fever at home and precise referral to medical services. Parents reported improved knowledge about fever (p<0.05) and mentioned improved confidence in caring for a child with fever at home after consulting the information package.ConclusionParents of children with a fever visiting the hospital are concerned about specific symptoms or based on an undefined intuition. Rather than telling parents that they should manage their child’s illness at home, healthcare professionals should recognise parental intuition and provide clear information on alarming signs and potential diagnoses to empower parents in the management of their febrile child.
DOI
10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021697
Publication Date
2018-08-01
Publication Title
BMJ Open
Volume
8
Issue
8
ISSN
2044-6055
Organisational Unit
School of Nursing and Midwifery
First Page
e021697
Last Page
e021697
Recommended Citation
van, d. M., van, K., den, H., Schmidt-Cnossen, E., Rippen, H., Hoek, A., Neill, S., Lakhanpaul, M., Moll, H., & Oostenbrink, R. (2018) 'Development and evaluation of a hospital discharge information package to empower parents in caring for a child with a fever', BMJ Open, 8(8), pp. e021697-e021697. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021697
