Should parents be present during emergency department procedures on children, and who should make that decision? A survey of emergency physician and nurse attitudes.

Objective: To survey physician and nurse attitudes regarding parental presence during painful procedures on children performed in the emergency department (ED) and who should make that decision.

Methods: The design was an anonymous written survey consisting of six clinical scenarios distributed to all staff and resident physicians and nurses in ten EDs at institutions in the United States routinely caring for children. Participants were asked whether parents should remain with children undergoing intravenous (IV) placement, laceration repair, lumbar puncture, conscious sedation, major resuscitation, and major resuscitation with death.