“Good nursing care” for school-aged children concerning mothers’ perception while attending hospitalized children

Abstract

 This study aimed to identify “good nursing care” for school-aged children concerning mothers’ perception while attending hospitalized children. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 23 mothers accompanying their children in the hospital. The data was thematically analyzed. Consequently, six themes were identified: (1) calling out children instead of just providing treatment and children’s “whereabouts” can be created in the ward, (2) finding out what children like and talking about their favorites as a starting point opens up children’s mind, (3) children can receive treatment at their pace and rhythm by proposing a wide range of options and allowing children to choose the timing, (4) in any situation, nurses can convince children as they wait patiently and concretely explain so that children can understand, (5) supporting children to face the procedure may require employing not only kindness, but sometimes strength, and accepting the desire of children to escape from the procedure, and (6) by internalizing the situation, and not only considering the children’s age, may help children feel affirmed. The results suggest that it is essential for nurses to accurately grasp children’s situations in their ways as the children spend their time in the ward.