Alice Loo

Abstract

Hospitalization was assessed as imposing stress on a child which may result in negative behavior. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a planned preadmission orientation in decreasing negative behavior after hospitalization.

An experimental randomized group design was used.

There were fifteen subjects ages 3.8 to 10.6 years who had a planned admission to Loma Linda University Medical Center for a minor surgery and brief hospital stay. The children were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and a control group. It was hypothesized that those receiving an orientation would have less negative post hospital behaviors than those without an orientation. Also, those who received type II orientation would have less negative behavior than those with type I orientation- Type I orientation familiarized both the child and the parents to the hospital. Type II orientation also included measures to help parents prepare the child for hospitalization. The parents of all subjects answered a questionnaire before hospitalization reporting the child's current behavior. The experimental groups were given the specified orientation a few days before admission. Two weeks after hospitalization the parents in all groups were asked to complete the same questionnaire reporting behavior after discharge from the hospital.

After statistical analysis of the data the hypotheses were rejected because the differences on behavioral score changes between the groups were not significant at the .05 level. Group E2 showed less negative post hospital behavior than the other two groups. Having had one or more previous hospitalization significantly increased the factor of general anxiety and regression of the child after hospitalization. It would appear that children who have had previous hospitalization may need special attention in preparative measures to decrease general anxiety and regression. Results of this study suggest that the parents play an important role in preparing children to cope with the stress of hospitalization. An orientation program should include not only measures to familiarize the child and parents to hospital routines but also help parents in preparing their child for hospitalization.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Clarice W. Woodward

Second Advisor

Audrey L. Burgess

Third Advisor

Marianne U. Hoag

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1974

Date (Title Page)

5-1974

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Child, Hospitalized -- education; Psychology, Child

Type

Thesis

Page Count

ix; 125

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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