Penn Nursing: Parent Presence Reduces Stress During Pediatric Procedures

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In a four-year study published in Pediatrics, Penn Nursing Professor Martha A.Q. Curley, PhD, RN, found that parents present during a child’s more invasive procedures report higher levels of comfort, more procedural understanding, and less emotional distress.

Although parent presence during invasive procedures and resuscitation is still controversial and draws concern from the medical community, clinicians in the study reported parent presence during such invasive procedures as chest tube placement did not affect their technical performance, therapeutic decision-making, or ability to teach.

“The intervention facilitated a cultural shift in the clinical practice of providing parental support during their children’s invasive procedures and resuscitation,” said Dr. Curley.

Dr. Curley is an expert in the management of critically ill infants and children and their families.

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the premier research institutions in nursing, producing new knowledge in geriatrics, pediatrics, oncology, quality-of-life choices, and other areas. Researchers here consistently receive more research funding from the National Institutes of Health than any other private nursing school, and many Master’s programs are ranked first in the country.