Staff attitudes toward parent participation in the care of children who are hospitalized.

A nonrandom sample of 62 staff who care for children on four pediatric wards at an urban women's and children's hospital in South Australia participated in a study to identify staff attitudes toward parents participating in the care of their child in the hospital and the personal and professional characteristics that may influence these attitudes. Participants completed two questionnaires, which included the Parent Participation Attitude Scale (PPAS) and a Personal and Professional Characteristics Data questionnaire. Analysis of variance indicated that the majority of staff had a neutral attitude (PPAS score M = 72; 61-84 = neutral range) toward parents participating in their hospitalized child's care. Staff members who were registered nurses, parents, married, or associated with the burns, craniofacial, and general surgery ward or the infectious diseases ward had more positive attitudes toward parent participation than did other staff members who did not possess these characteristics. The main difference in attitude related to professional characteristics: registered nurses scored a higher mean score reflecting a more accepting attitude than any other professional group participating in the study. The results provided direction to support attitudinal and practice change focused on developing a collaborative model of care in which nurse, children, and parents work together in partnership.