Is there a place for parents in the retrieval of critically sick children?

Retrieval of critically sick children is becoming commonplace within large paediatric intensive care centres and has gained much publicity. Only limited attention has been paid to the parents of children undergoing emergency transportation. Partnership with parents is central to paediatric nursing, yet parents are not generally welcome to travel with their child in an emergency. This paper argues that it may be possible for parents to be involved with the care of their child during retrieval.