Results
Thirty parents returned completed questionnaires; a response rate of 97% (30/31). All thirty-one parents (including the non-responder) had previously agreed for their child to be involved in the educational video project. Seven parents were approached to participate in semi-structured interviews, all of whom agreed and completed interviews.
Quantitative data
Quantitative results are summarised in Tables 1 and 2.
Table 1. Quantitative Questionnaire Results
Question
|
Yes
(%)
|
Not sure
(%)
|
No
(%)
|
Did you agree to your child being filmed?
|
30
(100%)
|
-
|
0
(0%)
|
Have you or your child ever been involved in healthcare education before?
|
5
(17%)
|
5
(17%)
|
20
(67%)
|
Do you think your decision to participate was affected by your child’s critical condition?
|
0
(0%)
|
2
(7%)
|
28
(93%)
|
Table 2. Likert Scale Results
Question
|
Definitely not
(%)
|
Probably not
(%)
|
Not sure
(%)
|
Probably
(%)
|
Definitely
(%)
|
Would you allow your child to be involved in education again?
|
0
(0%)
|
0
(0%)
|
0
(0%)
|
5
(17%)
|
25
(83%)
|
Only 5 out of 30 parents (17%) were sure that they or their child had been previously involved in healthcare education. No parent felt that their child’s critical condition had any effect on their decision making, though 2 parents (7%) were not completely sure. All 30 responding parents said that they would probably (5/30) or definitely (25/30) allow their child to be involved in healthcare education in the future.
Qualitative data
The main themes generated from the questionnaires and interviews related to parental experiences of education and the perceived factors affecting their participation. Figure 1 illustrates the overall themes and subthemes generated.
Figure 1: Themes and Subthemes

Experiences of Education
Previous experiences. Most parents did not recall any prior involvement in healthcare education. Those that did report previous experiences mainly described interactions with undergraduate medical and nursing students, either informally at the bedside or more formally as part of observed clinical examinations. Two parents recalled student nurses being trained to perform practical procedures such as chest drain removal and intramuscular injections. Only one parent gave an example of involvement in postgraduate education; this was related to their child’s participation in a practice clinical examination for postgraduate trainees.
Consent process. Parents described positive experiences of being asked to participate, including the consent process for video recording. They praised the “professional manner” of the staff and valued the “very friendly and free of pressure” approach to the consent process. Parents highlighted the importance of “clear explanations” and information on “how it will help others”, as well as reassurance that they could “change [their] mind at any time”. They also appreciated the staff assuring them that participation or non-participation would not “affect the way [their child] was cared for”. A small number of parents did initially report being “a bit shocked” at being asked, but that after a thorough explanation they “felt completely comfortable.”
Timing of consent was discussed, with parents generally unsure of the best time to discuss educational involvement. Most parents said that they would be happy to be asked at any time, and did not feel that their child’s critical condition had any effect on their decision to be involved in education. One parent summed up their opinion that staff will know the best time to approach:
“Obviously you know the situation of all the kids down there, so you wouldn’t ask at an inappropriate time… Obviously if our kid’s dying or on death’s door, then that’d be really inappropriate…”
Overall, parents felt that a “good relationship with the staff” was important prior to the consent process, as it meant that they already knew and trusted the team, and this would also help the team know the best time to approach them.
Experience of this event. Parents’ experiences of participation in the educational video project were overwhelmingly positive. A small number of parents described initially feeling apprehensive, but were completely reassured after staff “talked [them] through everything that was going to happen, so [they] knew the process”. Parents valued the opportunity to “stay and watch the filming process”, and most parents described the atmosphere as “calm” and “friendly”, which they found reassuring. Parents found the experience interesting, and welcomed the chance to “talk about something a bit different” from the usual intensive care discussions. No parent reported any negative experiences, even on direct questioning.
Future intentions. All of the parents stated that they would be agreeable to their child or another family member being involved in healthcare education in the future, “if it would help”. One parent did clarify that they would not wish to come back to hospital specifically for education purposes, but felt that they would be amenable to participating in education in the event of a further PICU admission.
Factors affecting participation
Child factors. Most parents felt that their child’s critical condition did not affect their decision to participate, though a small number thought that they might not have agreed if their child was deteriorating at the time of approach. Some parents did comment that their child’s critical condition made them more inclined to participate, as they understood that it was rare for health professionals to get an opportunity to see some of the procedures involved. Importantly, parents felt reassured that participation would not harm their child, so felt confident that “nothing negative could come from it”.
Parents felt that the potential benefits to the children were related to the procedures performed, and that involvement in the education project would not “play a huge role in [their child’s] life”. It was noted, however, that the actual procedures “might have been performed better” due to the filming process. A number of parents also commented that involvement in education was something that their children could “be proud of” when they were older.
Parental factors. The main parental factor identified that influenced decision making was their opinions on the importance of education in healthcare. A number of parents commented that healthcare professionals “have to learn somehow”, and that they understood the need for on-the-job training. Some parents described previous positive experiences of education, which made them more predisposed to participate again.
Parents described some unanticipated benefits to themselves, which influenced their decision to participate in the education project. Being present for the filming process gave parents the opportunity to improve their own understanding of the procedures involved in their child’s journey:
“I could actually watch what was going on, and it gave me a better understanding of what was going on, what people usually do, how they do it, instead of this vague idea of ‘yeah, they’re putting a line in’…”
One parent also commented that some of the videos may be useful for parents to learn relevant procedures themselves, such as changing a tracheostomy tube.
Education/healthcare benefits. Parents were enthusiastic about the potential educational benefits of the project for healthcare professionals and students. They were pleased that “people are going to learn from it”, and that it could potentially “help a lot of students in the future”. They described it as an opportunity to learn rare skills, and felt that the involvement of real patients was important:
“I feel that it is incredibly important for student/junior doctors/nurses to be able to gain "real life" experiences, rather than just textbook learning”
Parents suggested that the educational material created would also potentially have a positive effect on future healthcare, by improving the knowledge and skills of future students.
Altruism/gratitude. Parents saw participation in the project as an opportunity to repay the team caring for their child:
“We are very grateful for the care my son received and we felt this was giving a little something back”
They also reported being “happy to help” the staff, and pleased to be doing “a good thing”. Many parents described the overall experience as positive due to feeling that their child could “help others”, and that they were “making a difference to someone else’s life”.