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- $Unique_ID{BRK02405}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Should Parents Be Aloud To Stay in Emergency Rooms with Their Children?}
- $Subject{emergency room hospital hospitals child parent children er rooms
- parents accidents kid kids accident}
- $Volume{W-23}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1992,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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- Should Parents Be Aloud To Stay in Emergency Rooms with their Children?
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- QUESTION: Recently our little girl fell and was taken to the emergency room
- at our local hospital. Though the wound was not serious, she did need
- stitches. I wanted to stay by her side to comfort her during the procedure
- but the doctor made it very clear that he did not wish me to stay. Is this
- the routine in most emergency rooms, or was it just that this doctor didn't
- want me around? Are there any special rules that prevent a mother from
- staying with her child, or could I have stayed if I insisted?
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- ANSWER: I am unaware of any generally accepted rules that would apply to all
- hospitals, and believe that each case is probably judged individually. The
- circumstances would depend upon the age of the child, the seriousness of the
- procedure, and perhaps the emotional state of the parent. Many parents feel
- that their children want them by their sides during the anxiety provoking
- experiences of an emergency room visit, and feel that their presence will help
- to calm the child. In some cases a desire to know what is going on will
- motivate a parent to remain in the treatment room.
- For the most part, it is probable that the ER staff would permit a calm
- parent to remain during a minor procedure, injections, laceration repairs,
- splinting or bandaging, but would ask a parent to leave if the situation was
- more complicated. Available space might be a consideration. If there was
- insufficient space available (when several nurses and doctors are needed to
- treat the child) or if they felt the parent would become anxious during the
- treatment, a parent could be asked to remain in the waiting room or other
- suitable room often provided for families.
- In the situation you describe, it may have been the actions of the doctor
- more than his words that gave you the impression that he wished you to leave.
- In that case, you could have asked to stay, and if the situation was under
- control, would probably have been permitted to remain with your child during
- her treatment.
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- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
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