Quality of nursing care in pediatric emergency services at a public hospital: a parents' perspective

Abstract

In recent years, the use of emergency services has increased. This demands better quality standards of care. To achieve this, it is necessary to have highly qualified health personnel, essential biomedical equipment, disposable medical supplies, and the drugs required to meet the demand for care. Despite multiple efforts, a growing dissatisfaction on the part of users with the quality of care received has been documented. Quality of care encompasses all strategies focused on excellence and user satisfaction, with nursing care being fundamental to achieving such standards. However, the overload of tasks of the healthcare staff highlights the limitations in meeting patients' needs. This dissatisfaction lies in long waiting times, the quality of the treatment received, and the perception of deficient care. To evaluate the quality of care, a structural, process, and outcome approach is necessary. Pediatric nursing is a priority for the care of children and adolescents, facilitating the fulfillment of their needs not only in the individual but also in the community and family context. Therefore, this letter aims to highlight the need to optimize the quality of pediatric nursing services, allowing health professionals to have a broad understanding of current problems. This will enable the generation of initiatives oriented towards continuous improvement, promoting the satisfaction of users and their families.