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Background: Day surgery allows families to return home quickly. Only a few approaches to preparing for day surgery have demonstrated how digital solutions can support families and children. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile app intervention on preschool children’s fear and pain and parents’ anxiety and stress in preparing children for day surgery. Methods: This study was conducted at the Pediatric Day Surgical Department of a university hospital in Finland between 2018 and 2020. Parents of children (aged 2–6 y) who were in a queue for elective day surgery were randomized into the intervention group (IG; n=36) and control group (CG; n=34). The CG received routine preparations, whereas the IG was prepared using a mobile app. Parents’ and children’s outcomes were measured using validated scales at 4 different points: at home (T1 and T4) and at the hospital (T2 and T3) before and after surgery. Group differences were analyzed using statistical methods suitable for the material. Results: Before surgery, parents in both groups experienced mild anxiety, which decreased after surgery. Parental anxiety did not differ between groups preoperatively (P=.78) or postoperatively (P=.63). Both groups had less anxiety at home after surgery compared with before. The IG showed a significant decrease (P=.003); the CG also improved (P=.002). Preoperatively at home, most parents in both groups experienced no stress or mild stress (P=.61). Preoperatively at the hospital, parents in both groups experienced mild stress; however, parents in the IG experienced more stress during this phase (P=.02). Parents in the IG experienced significantly less stress postoperatively than those in the CG (P=.05). Both groups showed decreased stress levels from before to after surgery (IG: P=.003; CG: P=.004) within each group. There were no significant differences in children’s pain levels between the groups and measurement points. This was observed before surgery

Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen tarkoitus: Tarkoituksena oli kuvata vanhempien käsityksiä lapsensa lääkkeettömän kivunhoidon ohjauksesta sairaalassa ja selvittää taustekijöiden yhteyttä ohjaukseen. Aineisto ja menetelmät: Kuvailevan poikkileikkaustutkimuksen aineisto kerättiin kyselylomakkeella 1–15-vuotiaiden lasten vanhemmilta (n=210) erään suomalaisen yliopistollisen sairaalan lastenosastoilla. Aineisto analysoitiin kuvailevin tilastollisin menetelmin. Tulokset: Vanhemmille eniten ohjattuja lääkkeettömiä kivunlievitysmenetelmiä lapsen kivunhoidossa olivat emotionaalisen tuen menetelmät, asentohoito sekä ajatusten suuntaaminen pois kivusta. Sen sijaan vähiten ohjattuja menetelmiä olivat musiikki ja hieronta. Ohjauksessa käytettiin harvoin kirjallista materiaalia, videoita tai Internet-sivustoja. Lapsen yksilölliset ominaisuudet huomioitiin hyvin ohjauksessa. Lapsen iällä ja kivun voimakkuudella oli tilastollisesti merkitsevä yhteys ohjattuihin menetelmiin. Vanhempien saama ohjaus eri menetelmien käytössä lisäsi heidän tyytyväisyyttään lääkkeettömän kivunhoidon ohjaukseen kokonaisuudessaan. Päätelmät: Vanhempia osallistava ohjaaminen lapsensa lääkkeettömässä kivunhoidossa on tärkeää. Vanhemmille tarjottuun ohjaukseen sekä monipuolisiin ohjausmenetelmiin tulee kiinnittää huomiota lastenhoitotyössä huomioiden myös lapsen yksilölliset ominaisuudet. Tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää lasten kivunhoidon kehittämisessä., Aim: The aim of the study was to describe parents’ perceptions of received guidance in non-pharmacological pain management during their children’s hospitalization and to find out the association between the background factors and counselling. Data and methods: The data of this cross-sectional study were collected through a questionnaire from the parents of children aged 1–15 years (n=210) at pediatric wards in a Finnish university hospital. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Results: Parents received the most guidance in their child’s pain management on emotional support methods, positioning and distraction, while the least guided methods were music and massage. Written instructions, educational videos or websites were rarely used in the guidance. The individual characteristics of the child were well taken into account. Child’s age and intensity of pain were statistically significantly associated with the guided methods. Guidance in different methods increased parents’ satisfaction in the overall guidance in non-pharmacological pain management. Conclusions: The guidance of parents to take part in their children’s non-pharmacological pain treatment is important. Attention should be paid to the guidance and its methods offered to parents in pediatric nursing, and this should be done taking into account the child’s individual characteristics. The results of this study can be utilized in the development of children’s pain treatment.