ATTITUDES TOWARDS PARENTAL PRESENCE AT INDUCTION OF ANESTHESIA

Objective. To determine the attitudes of South African anaesthetists w ith regard to allowing parents to be present during the induction of a naesthesia in children, and to determine the source and extent of resi stance to this controversial practice. Design. Questionnaire survey co nsisting of three parts and based on a previous study, Setting. Southe rn Africa, Participants. All practising anaesthetists, specialist and non-specialist, on the mailing list of a major pharmaceutical company. Results. Responses were obtained from 222 anaesthetists from 80 diffe rent localities in southern Africa. The majority of the respondents we re specialist anaesthetists in private practice with between 5 and 15 years experience, Of the respondents 55% agreed that it was acceptable to allow parents to be present at induction and that this did not com promise the child's safety; 117 claimed that there was resistance to t he practice, perceiving the matron and nursing staff as the major sour ce of resistance, both currently and in the past, Lack of facilities a nd loss of operating theatre sterility were cited as the main reasons for resistance, Conclusion. Although the practice is still controversi al, the majority of anaesthetists who responded to the survey would be happy to allow parents to accompany children at induction, It should be catered for and encouraged according to certain guidelines.