Parental Satisfaction in the Operating Room

Background: Since 2017, parental presence during anesthetic induction and recovery has been a legal right in Portuguese legislation. Nevertheless, this practice remains controversial. Our study aimed to evaluate parental satisfaction with their experiences in the Operating Room (OR). Methods: We conducted an audit between February and March 2021, to assess parental presence, overall satisfaction and perioperative experiences of parents and children in the OR. Results: One hundred and seventeen parents and children were included. Around eighty percent of parents were present during the anesthetic induction; 97.8% expressed satisfaction with their presence and 98.9% acknowledged the benefits for their children. Among parents who were absent during induction, 70.8% expressed a desire to be present in a future procedure. Parents also emphasized the importance of professionalism and effective communication within the medical team. No significant relationship was observed between overall satisfaction levels and presence during anesthetic induction. When comparing groups with and without parents present during anesthetic induction, no significant differences were observed in children's experiences during perioperative care. Discussion: Our audit reveals that the majority of parents who attended anesthetic induction were satisfied with this opportunity: they believed it contributed to decrease their child's anxiety and distress, consequently reducing their own anxiety. Interestingly, a significant number of parents who were not present expressed a desire to be present in the future. According to national legislation, parental presence during induction should always be discussed between the medical team and parents