Parental acceptability of pediatric forearm manipulations in a UK district hospital emergency department

PURPOSE: Pediatric forearm fractures are a common presentation to Accident and Emergency departments. Standard treatment for the majority of these is manipulation under sedation within the department, followed by cast application. Concerns have been raised about the acceptability of such interventions, and reluctance to perform these procedures has led to increased admissions and manipulations performed under general anesthetic. METHODS: A prospective case series of all pediatric patients with forearm fractures who underwent a manipulation under sedation in the Accident and Emergency department was collected over 12 months. All parents were invited to complete an acceptability questionnaire, adapted from the Swedish Pyramid Questionnaire for Treatment, based on their experiences. RESULTS: A total of 77 patients were included and their parents were asked to complete a Swedish Pyramid Questionnaire of Treatment. Forty-four parents (55%) agreed to fill out the questionnaire. Patient demographics and fracture characteristics were compared between the group that responded and those that did not, with no significant differences. Average level of satisfaction was 9.4/10 (range = 7–10). 98% of respondents were satisfied with the level of analgesia provided, but only 86% with the timeliness of administration. CONCLUSION: This parent-focused evaluation of treatment confirms high levels of parental satisfaction with the management of pediatric forearm fractures in Accident and Emergency, with regard to care, analgesia, and information. It provides insights about parental concern relating to the injury and their anxiety as information useful to further improving care, a template for assessing quality improvement and should be considered as part of further studies in this field. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV case series.