WHAT ARE THE PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF ANAESTHETISTS AND ANAESTHESIA TECHNOLOGISTS ON PARENTAL PRESENCE DURING INDUCTION OF ANAESTHESIA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY IN SAUDI ARABIA?

Abstract

Background: Parental Presence during Induction of Anaesthesia (PPIA) has increased in importance within paediatric anaesthesia in recent years, due to its potential to have a positive impact on the paediatric patient, parents, and anaesthesia staff. Several studies have explored the effectiveness of PPIA from the parents’ views; however, there are only a few out-dated studies that explore the anaesthesia staff’s perceptions and how they might act towards PPIA.

Aim: To discover the attitudes, opinions, and perceptions of anaesthetists and anaesthesia technologists regarding parental presence at the induction of anaesthesia within a Saudi Arabian hospital, to support the potential implementation of PPIA within this cultural context. Design: A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted with a methodological triangulation of data collection, comprising phase 1: quantitative Likert-scale questionnaires, and phase 2: qualitative semi-structured interviews. Six anaesthetic practitioners were recruited for the interviews using a purposive sampling strategy. The smaller quantitative data-set was analysed using Microsoft Excel and results are given using descriptive statistics. The larger qualitative data-set used thematic analysis and results are given using themes and participants’ quotes.

Findings: The total response rate to the questionnaire was 100%. The study’s findings revealed no major professional differences between anaesthetists and anaesthesia technologists towards PPIA support. The results from the interviews suggested that the majority of the anaesthesia staff believed in the benefits of PPIA, such as reduction in sedation utilisation and improvement of the anaesthesia experience for the paediatric patient. There were no cultural differences associated with the child’s age range or the accompanying parent’s gender. Several points were raised indicating that there were barriers to the implementation of PPIA, with hospital policy being the main concern; nonetheless, multiple enablers were also identified.

Conclusion: The study provides evidence from anaesthetists and anaesthesia technologists that PPIA is seen in a positive light within the Saudi culture. Numerous recommendations were provided from the study’s findings for future research to improve paediatric anaesthesia practice, which involved review of the hospital guidelines and policy.