Fears of Parents when Their Child is a Patient

People come into healthcare afraid, and that fear can impact their ability to hear and comprehend information. The purpose of this study was to learn what fears parents experience when their child is a patient and what health care providers can do to minimize their fears. After completing 219 interviews in a variety of settings, the top three fears were determined to be: diagnosis and prognosis (will my child be okay?), communication issues, and infection. The most important things we can do to minimize fears are: Keep me informed and keep my child comfortable and safe.