The psychological well-being of parents during their child’s emergency treatment can significantly influence the overall care experience and outcomes. Parental stress and anxiety may affect their ability to provide accurate information, make informed decisions, and support their child effectively during treatment. The aim of this study was to identify the levels of state anxiety experienced by parents whose children were receiving care in the Paediatric Emergency Department (PED), and related factors that contributing to parental anxiety. This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study. The setting of the study was PED at a tertiary hospital with a 700-bed capacity. Participants were parents of children who visited the PED and received least urgent code during triage. The population of the study consists of a total of 426 parents of children admitted to the PED. Data were collected face-to-face between 4 November 2024 and 15 December 2024. Data collection tools included a socio-demographic questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), a validated 40-item tool measuring state and trait anxiety. The data were analysed using SPSS Statistics for Windows. Majority of the visits were made by mothers (66%), while fathers were less active in this process (34%). The mean state anxiety score was 42.45 ± 8.94 and the mean trait anxiety score was 43.70 ± 8.12. Moreover, mothers exhibited significantly higher trait anxiety than fathers (p = 0,003). Significant differences were found in both state and trait anxiety scores according to mother’s education level (p < 0.001). It was found that the trait anxiety levels of non-employed mothers were significantly higher than those of employed mothers (p = 0.046). Anxiety levels were found to be higher in those who visited the PED more frequently. In addition, a significant difference was found in state anxiety scores according to the perceived urgency of the child’s condition, and it was observed that anxiety levels were higher in very urgent conditions (p < 0.001). Anxiety levels were significantly associated with maternal education (p < 0.001), non-employed status (p = 0.046), frequent PED visits, and perceived urgency of the child’s condition (p < 0.001). It was determined that those who were dissatisfied and those who were partially satisfied with the communication of healthcare staff had higher anxiety levels. It was seen that the anxiety levels of those who were dissatisfied and those who were partially satisfied with providing information by healthcare staff were higher (p = 0.020). The adequacy of allocated time for care made a significant difference in both state and trait anxiety scores, and it was observed that the anxiety levels of those who were dissatisfied and those who were partially satisfied with the adequacy of allocated time for care were higher. Dissatisfaction with staff communication and allocated care time also correlated with higher anxiety (p < 0.05). Effectiveness of healthcare staff, the importance of communication, and the perceived quality of care provided to children in the PED were important indicators for parental anxiety. Effective communication between healthcare providers and parents could lead to increased level of parental satisfaction with healthcare staff and with the PED settings. Effective communication could reduce parental anxiety during the course of care and treatment, and thus enhancing the overall experience of families in the PED settings.

Objective: To determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients admitted to our hospital’s emergency department due to poisoning and to provide data that may inform preventive measures and contribute to national records. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed pediatric patients (0–18 years) admitted for poisoning between January 2023 and December 2024. Demographics, exposure characteristics, treatment, disposition, and outcomes were extracted from the hospital information system. Descriptive statistics were reported as frequencies (%) for categorical variables. Results: A total of 328 patients were analyzed. Males accounted for 51.5% of cases. The most common age group at presentation was 3–6 years (45.1%). The most frequent season of presentation was summer (37.8%). The most common cause of poisoning was drugs (60.4%), followed by food, corrosive substances, and carbon monoxide, respectively. The overall hospitalization rate was 53.7%, with 20.7% requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Mortality was 2.2%. Conclusion: Childhood poisonings remain a preventable public health problem. Strengthening family education, safe storage practices, and standardized ED protocols can reduce morbidity and mortality.

Background: Carbon monoxide (CO) gas is a tasteless, odorless and colorless gas and causes many poisonings every year. In this study, paediatric and adult CO poisoning cases admitted to our emergency department were reviewed retrospectively. Materials and Methods: Paediatric and adult patients who applied to the Emergency Department of Mardin Training and Research Hospital between 01 January 2021 and 31 December 2022 due to CO poisoning due to stove usage were included in the study. Patients were compared according to age, gender, month and time of admission to the emergency department, complaints at admission, laboratory test results and discharge status. Results: 90 patients admitted to the emergency department due to CO poisoning caused by stoves between 2021-2022 were included in the study. While the rate of female patients in the paediatric age group was 53.3%, the rate of female patients in the adult group was 48.9% (p=0.673). When compared according to the complaints of admission to the hospital, the most common complaint in the paediatric age group was nausea-vomiting with 42.2%, while the most common complaint in the adult group was shortness of breath with 26.7%. In both groups, it was determined that the most frequent application was in January with 48.9%. While 15.6% of children were hospitalized, this rate was 4.4% for adults. (p=0.065). While the carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) value at the time of first admission was 18.36±6.60 in the paediatric group, it was 22.03±10.24 in the adult group (p:0.047). In the control blood gas values taken at discharge, COHb level was 2.76±1.83 in children and 5.10±3.02 in adults (p

The paediatric emergency department (PED) represents a vital entry point into the healthcare system, particularly for children experiencing acute health issues. However, despite playing a pivotal role in the paediatric care process, the experiences and needs of parents accompanying their children during these visits are often overlooked. Understanding these needs is essential for improving the quality of care provided in PEDs. This study aimed to identify the needs of parents of children admitted to the PED and examine how these needs vary according to demographic and experiential factors, including satisfaction with care. This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study. This study was conducted in the PED of a 700-bed tertiary public hospital in southeastern Turkey. The study population consisted of 406 parents of children admitted to the PED. Data were collected between October 7, 2024, and November 15, 2024, using structured questionnaires, including: (1) a socio-demographic form and, (2) the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory - Emergency Department. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS 22.0 with significance set at p < 0.05. Parents rated “family member participation in care” significantly higher than other needs (mean difference = 0.11–0.21, all p < 0.05). This suggests that PED staff should prioritise: (1) involving parents in care decisions, (2) providing real-time updates, and (3) creating opportunities for hands-on participation when clinically appropriate. ‘Communication with family members’ showed significantly higher mean scores (2.89 ± 0.75) than both ‘comfort’ (2.79 ± 0.78; p = 0.03) and ‘supporting family members’ (2.80 ± 0.80; p = 0.02), with small but clinically meaningful effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.31 and 0.29 respectively). This study revealed that 64% of parents were satisfied with the healthcare staff. In addition, 65.3% of parents were satisfied with the communication of the healthcare staff. Moreover, the rate of satisfaction with the information provided by the healthcare staff was 61.8%. The total scores on the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory – Emergency Department were significantly higher among parents who reported being satisfied with the healthcare staff, communication, and information provision (p < 0.001). This study suggested that addressing parental needs for family participation in care and communication may enhance parents’ experiences in paediatric emergency settings. However, further research is needed to evaluate specific interventions. Clear communication is a fundamental need for families, influencing satisfaction, understanding, and involvement in care. Not applicable.

Background: This study examined the association between admission time within 24 h of the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and trauma severity, rhabdomyolysis, and in-hospital mortality, and its potential as a temporal reference for field triage in mass-casualty incidents. Methods: This retrospective study included earthquake-related injury patients who presented to our tertiary emergency department within 24 h of the earthquake onset (04:17, 6 February 2023). Non-survivors who died before diagnostic work-up, and therefore had no laboratory results or trauma scores, were excluded from the analysis. Patients were compared by admission within the golden hour (≤6 h) or later (>6 h); laboratory samples were obtained within the first hour of presentation. Mortality predictors were examined using univariate and multivariable logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis evaluated admission time for predicting rhabdomyolysis. Results: Three of 63 patients (4.8%) died; lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores and higher trauma severity indices were associated with mortality, whereas admission time and entrapment were not (very few deaths). Patients admitted after 6 h had higher Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) grades and significantly higher creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP), and international normalized ratio (INR) values and longer hospitalizations. Admission time predicted rhabdomyolysis well (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.840; cutoff: 9 h) and correlated positively with log-transformed CK (r = 0.733). Conclusions: The initial temporal window may be associated with muscle and organ injury severity among patients reaching hospital, but does not support redefining the golden hour as a survival determinant across the care continuum. The time threshold is hypothesis-generating and requires external validation before field triage use.