Föräldrars upplevelser av mångbesök på barnakutmottagningen
Introduction: Frequent attenders is a term used in health care services that define a person attending a health care setting more than four times during a 12 month period. Recently published research concerning frequent attenders in pediatric emergency departments describes their reasons for attending a health care service or characteristics of these individuals but lacks a qualitative approach exploring their experiences. There is a need of these experiences to be shared so that health care personnel caring for this group may gain a greater understanding of their needs and expectations.Aim: The aim of this study is to describe how parents of children defined as frequent attenders experience the care received at a pediatric emergency department.Method: Qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews. A pilot study of four interviews was conducted to test the method. Sampling consisted of parents of children defined as frequent attenders and that were not diagnosed with a chronic illness. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed according to qualitative content analysis.Results: The analysis resulted in three main categories; The treatment of health care personnel, Uncertain care causes anxiety and Expectations of care. Parents experienced that the treatment of health care personnel varied between visits. The parents? anxiety of the child was present before and during the visit and could worsen by the health care personnel care for the child. The parents experienced that their expectation of care was not always met and they expressed a need of greater support from the health care personnel at the pediatric emergency department.Discussion: The parents of the children defined as frequent attenders have a need to be taken more seriously and to receive help to ease their anxiety they have for their child when they visit the pediatric emergency department. The treatment from health care personnel always needs to be professional to prevent causing unnecessary suffering for the parents. Clear information regarding wait time is required to reduce parental frustration.Conclusion: It?s important not to let the cause of the visit or number of visits effect on how personnel treat families. The advanced nurse practitioner need to take parents? concerns into account and try to ease their suffering.