Psychological needs of parents of children with complicated congenital heart disease after admitting to pediatric intensive care unit: A questionnaire study

BACKGROUND: Parents of children with complicated congenital heart disease (CHD) have different needs after surgery. Little literature reports the impact factors for psychological needs of parents of children with complicated CHD. AIM: To investigate the status quo of the needs of parents of children after surgery for complex CHD, and analyze the influencing factors, in order to provide a theoretical basis for formulating corresponding nursing countermeasures. METHODS: A modified Chinese version of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (M-CCFNI) was used to select 200 parents of children with complex CHD after surgery within 72 h after admission to the intensive care unit in our hospital to conduct an online questionnaire survey. The aim was to understand the needs of parents in relation to the following five aspects: The support from medical staff, comfort of the parents themselves, the acquisition of information, their closeness to the children, and assurance of the child’s condition. RESULTS: Parents of children with complex CHD had a higher degree of demand, especially in terms of condition assurance, acquisition of information, and closeness to the children. The age, education level, and residence of the parents were related to the five dimensions of the needs of parents of children with complex CHD who had undergone surgery. CONCLUSION: In practice, nurses should formulate corresponding nursing strategies based on the different cultural and social backgrounds of parents of children after complex CHD surgery to meet their different needs, and improve satisfaction. These findings provide a theoretical basis for constructing a family participatory nursing model for children in the intensive care unit in the future.