Discomfort in hospitalized children aged seven to fourteen Factors inherent to hospitals

Abstract

A descriptive transverse study was performed in order to identify several factors that may cause discomfort to hospitalized children, in six hospitals ofMedellin. The sample included 65 children, both male and female, between seven and fourteen years old, during the months ofMarch and April of2004. Children in a critical condition, with impaired ofconsciousness or mental retardation were excluded from the study. The information was collected through a survey applied to the medical chart and through an interview with the child. The analyzed variables were: age, gender, socioeconomic level, diagnosis, days of hospitalization, noises, room temperarure, facilities and location, outfits, behavior and company ofthe staffduring the hospitalization. The results indicated that most of the children belong to a low socioeconomic level, most of them were boys, aged 9.6 years in average, and attended to school. The average time of hospitalization was 4.4 dayso The medical issues most frequently found were surgical, general medical illness and infectious illness. They were bothered by noise coming from various people in other rooms, by their own room heat, the lack of space for the family companion and the absence of a place to keep their belongings. They disliked the irritability and the scolding from the staff, the absence of explanation about the proceedings and the fact of asking their parents to Ieave the room. They prefer the company of their parents during hospitalization, as well as the staff's white robes and the nurses' hat.