PARENTAL PRESENCE DURING INDUCTION OF ANESTHESIA - PRACTICE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE UNITED-STATES AND GREAT-BRITAIN

A questionnaire was sent to 1353 paediatric anaesthetists in Great Bri tain and the United States. Nineteen questions were asked about attitu des toward parental presence during induction of anaesthesia and the p revalence of such practice. Overall, respondents from Great Britain su pport parental presence more than the United States respondents. For e xample, 82% of the Great Britain respondents, vs 64% of the United Sta tes respondents thought that parental presence during induction decrea ses the anxiety (P = 0.001) and increases the cooperation of the child (P = 0.001). Most United States respondents (58%) allow parental pres ence in less than 5% of their cases, but most Great Britain respondent s (84%) allow parental presence in more than 75% of their cases. We co nclude that in contrast to the respondents from Great Britain, the maj ority of the United States sample does not feel that parental presence is useful and so does not routinely use this technique in their pract ice.