Publication:

Assessment of the level of parental satisfaction on hospital care given to children admitted in pediatric medical ward

Background Healthcare quality significantly affects the quality of life for patients and their families, especially in pediatric care where satisfaction of both children and parents is essential. Parental satisfaction serves as a critical measure of care quality, affecting outcomes like early discharge, readmissions, and child mortality. This study aimed to assess the level of parental satisfaction on hospital care of children admitted in Pediatric Medical Ward.

Methods A cross-sectional observational study was carried out among 386 parents of children admitted in the pediatric medical ward of a tertiary hospital. Convenience sampling technique was used to enroll the parents. Socio-demographic data and clinical variables of the children were collected from their medical records and by interviewing the parents. Parental satisfaction on hospital care was assessed by structured interview using pediatric quality of life healthcare satisfaction scale. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and unpaired t test with SPSS version 20.

Results The level of parental satisfaction on hospital care given to children was high for 321 (83.2%), moderate for 51 (13.2%) and low for 14 (3.6%) of the parents. Factors associated with parental satisfaction were gender of the parent (p=0.0001), education of parent (p=0.0001), presence of tracheostomy tube (p=0.0001) and need for respiratory support (p=0.016).

Conclusions To improve parental satisfaction with hospital care for children, it is essential to enhance the quality of information provided, family involvement in the treatment process, effective communication, technical proficiency, emotional support, and overall child-centered approaches to hospitalization.