Awareness survey on the psychological preparation and ethical nursing practice of children and their family for medical procedures in Japan

Purpose

This study aimed to clarify the recognition of ethical nursing practices, which included the psychological preparation of nurses practicing pediatric nursing in various settings, and issues for future training. Furthermore, we aimed to use the results to conduct future workshops.

Design and methods

Questionnaires were distributed to 1500 randomly selected medical facilities with pediatric departments in Japan. A total of 3000 nurses with more than two years of experience after graduation were asked to respond via an online survey, conducted in 2023. Participants provided multiple-choice and partially descriptive responses to questions on psychological preparation, ethical nursing practice for medical examinations and procedures, and demands for training.

Results

In total, 422 responses were obtained, with 347 being valid (valid response rate: 11.6 %).

Respondents rated that the need for psychological preparation for children was “always necessary” (64.6 %) and “necessary based on the situation” (35.4 %); none answered “not necessary.” More than 90 % said that they wanted to reduce children's anxiety and that children also had the right to informed consent. In addition, 72.6 % requested learning regarding “methods of psychological preparation for children by developmental stage,” and the requests were high in all years of experience and in the ward to which they belonged.

Conclusions

Nurses were more likely to want to know how to prepare themselves and children psychologically and reduce their feelings of anxiety and fear than ethics, regardless of their years of experience or affiliation. The preferred method for courses was on-demand distribution and live streaming.

Practice implications

Ethical and psychological contents were important in pediatric nursing practice, and nurses should be provided opportunities to learn both perspectives for the best interest of children undergoing medical procedures in the various settings. Various programs using online and face-to-face methods can be applied to nursing education in the post-COVID-19 era.