Paediatric anaesthesia & critical care
Pediatric Preassessment Service Evaluation Across the South Thames Pediatric Network
Authors' conclusion
This evaluation supports the effectiveness and acceptability of pediatric preoperative assessment, with high overall satisfaction within STPN. Pediatric preassessment provides a crucial opportunity to make an individualized plan, particularly for children with additional needs, who are overrepresented compared with the general population. Addressing anxiety, standardizing information provision, modality choice, and communication gaps helps bridge the divide with adult practice and further optimize perioperative care for children and families.
Study context
- Population
- Guardians of pediatric patients scheduled for elective procedures under general anesthesia, hospitals within the South Thames Pediatric Network (STPN)responses collected from 18 hospitals
- Participants
- 403 participants
- Outcome
- Preassessment modality
Methodological detailsmulti-organizational network, four-month period
- Multi-organizational network
- Four-month period
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Telephone consultation was the most common and preferred preassessment modality
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Satisfaction with the explanation of anesthetic risks
- Respondents satisfied with the explanation of anesthetic risks
- 79%
- Received the RCoA infographic
- 46%
Health promotion advice
- Offered health promotion advice
- 35%
Anxiety
- Asked about anxiety
- 70%
- Not reassured about these anxieties
- 9%
Children with additional needs: healthcare professional listened to individual needs
- Among children with additional needs, felt the healthcare professional listened to their individual needs
- 95%
Overall satisfaction
- Felt the preassessment suitably prepared them for surgery
- 85%
- Overall satisfaction was high
Original publication
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