Increased parental participation in a paediatric surgical day-care unit.

Day care is currently a common way of providing treatment for minor and average paediatric surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to assess possible benefits of increasing parental involvement in the care of operated children in a day-care surgery unit. By giving parents information and education about post-operative care, the goal was to facilitate recovery and minimize time spent in hospital. Results show that parents in the intervention group were well prepared to assume a greater part of the care of their children. Children in the intervention group appeared to have less pain and fewer children vomited post-operatively than children in the control group.