Determining the perceptions of nursing and influencing factors among 7-9-year-old children admitted to the pediatric emergency department using the drawing method.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to review children's perceptions of nurses and identify the factors influencing these perceptions.

METHODS

This mixed-methods study was conducted between September 24, 2019, and January 24, 2024, with 47 children aged 7-9 who were admitted to a pediatric emergency room. Data were collected using the "Child-Parent Information Form," "Procedure Follow-up Form," "Children's Fear Scale," "Please Draw a Nurse's Picture Instruction," "Semi-Structured Interview Form," and "Children's Drawings Evaluation Form." Quantitative data were evaluated using numbers, percentages, and descriptive statistics. The researchers and a child psychologist evaluated children's drawings, and the obtained data were thematically analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the children participating in the study, 24 were girls, and their average age was 7.96 ± 0.806. In their drawings, 77.2 % of the children depicted the nurse as a woman, 76.7 % with a smiling face, 60 % wearing a cap, and 72.1 % with full body parts. It was found that children with positive perceptions of nursing in their drawings had a nurse acquaintance, and 58.6 % had a pre-procedure fear score of "0." Factors influencing children's perceptions of nursing included communication with the nurse, the child's ability to cope with anxiety/fear, the person accompanying the child, the child's psychological resilience, and past experiences.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study found that most children had a positive perception of nursing, but their fears about the procedure, a lack of psychological resilience, and past experiences led them to have a negative perception.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings of the present study shed light on children's perceptions of nurses. This study emphasizes that children's fears about the hospital and the procedure performed cause them to perceive nurses negatively; however, nurses' approach and the communication they establish with children dispel this perception. Hence nurses should pay attention to their communication and approach to children.