RESUMO
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe Jordanian mothers' perceptions of nursing support provided during hospitalisation of their children and identify socio-demographic characteristic of mothers and children associated with mothers' perceptions of nursing support. BACKGROUND: Nursing support is crucial to mothers to ease and relieve pain and stress experience during hospitalisation of their children. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design. METHOD: A total of 235 mothers who stayed with their children during their hospitalisations for medical or surgical health problems were recruited for the purpose of the study. Mothers of children of one month to two years old from two governmental hospitals in Amman-Jordan were interviewed over a period of two months. Data were collected using Nursing Parent Support Tool and demographic data questionnaire. RESULTS: This study showed that the perception of Jordanian mothers to nursing support was moderate (M = 3·23, SD = 0·95). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that mothers' satisfaction to nursing support and mothers' education explained (0·332) of the variance in the mother's perception of nursing support. CONCLUSION: Satisfaction with nursing care and level of education are important factors in Jordanian mothers' perception of nursing support. Nurses need to understand the importance of these factors when providing support and holistic care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: To enhance high level of satisfaction of nursing care, paediatric nurses in the practice settings should establish parent support groups and provide educational materials that are beneficial for educated and uneducated parents.
