Exploring perceptions of parents on the use of emergency department on-site primary care services for the treatment of children with non-urgent conditions

Sam, M; Cook, DL; Rowland, A; Butler, J

Abstract

Objective:
To understand the reasons parents of children with minor conditions attend the
Children’s Emergency Department (ED), and their views about on-site paediatric
same day care (SDC) service as an alternative treatment centre.
Method:
A cross-sectional survey of parents attending an inner-city, district general hospital
children’s ED, with children aged under 16 years old who were allocated to low triage
categories. A convenience sample of 58 parents of 58 children were recruited.
Results:
All the 58 responses were analysed. Incomplete questionnaires were not excluded.
47% of attendances were because of minor injury. Most presentations were within 24
hours of the injury or illness. 72% of parents were employed. 91% were registered
with a General Practitioner (GP). 29% contacted a GP before the ED visit. The
majority of participants who contacted a GP were referred to the ED; others were
advised to wait to see if the child’s condition improved and to attend the ED if there
were any concerns or the child deteriorated in any way. 50% of those that did not
contact GP said the GP surgery was closed and 8% felt the GP could not help. 90%
of parents perceived their child’s condition as urgent requiring immediate treatment.
33% of parents said they would be happy for their children to be treated at an on-site
Same Day Care (SDC) Centre.
Conclusions:
The study showed limited access to GP services in the community and
dissatisfaction with community services and perceived urgency of treatment
prompted parents of children with minor conditions to attend the ED. This could
mean significant ED attendance by children with minor conditions. The majority of
the parents in the study would welcome an on-site paediatric SDC if appropriate to
meet their children’s care needs. Establishing an on-site SDC may help relieve the
ED pressures to attend to more clinically urgent and emergency cases.

Citation

Sam, M., Cook, D., Rowland, A., & Butler, J. (2021). Exploring perceptions of parents on the use of emergency department on-site primary care services for the treatment of children with non-urgent conditions. Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Nursing, 44(4), 285-302. https://doi.org/10.1080/24694193.2020.1820116

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 1, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Oct 7, 2020
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Sep 14, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 7, 2021
• Journal: Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Nursing
• Print ISSN: 2469-4193
• Electronic ISSN: 2469-4207
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Volume: 44
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 285-302
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/24694193.2020.1820116
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/24694193.2020.1820116
• Related Public URLs: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/icpn21/current#.VyIFvXoriao
• Additional Information: Access Information : This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Nursing on 7th October 2020, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/24694193.2020.1820116