Mothers' experiences in a pediatric burn unit: A qualitative study.

Abstract

For a parent, having their child hospitalised after a burn injury can cause feelings of guilt, anxiety, fear, and shame. Although parental experiences following pediatric burn injuries have been reported, limited qualitative evidence exists regarding the in-hospital experiences of mothers in pediatric burn units within the Turkish healthcare context. This study was conducted to examine the emotions, thoughts, and experiences of mothers whose children were hospitalised due to burns during the hospitalisation process, with the aim of informing family-centred pediatric burn nursing care. The study was conducted through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with the mothers of 10 children admitted to the pediatric burn unit of a state hospital between March 2024 and March 2025. Analyses were performed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. The mothers' mean age was 33 ± 9.6 years and the children's mean age was 4.8 ± 4.6 years. The mean total body surface area burned was 15.0 ± 8.6 %. Four main themes were identified: Emotional Reactions and Psychological Effects, Fatigue, Care Process and Experiences, Family Life and Social Support. Mothers were found to experience guilt and fatigue. Prolonged hospital stays are emotionally and physically exhausting for mothers, and were associated with environmental discomfort, perceived judgment during care, and disruptions in family life. The study findings indicate that mothers of children with burn injuries experience negative emotions, fatigue, and loneliness. Pediatric nurses are encouraged to recognise maternal needs within the framework of a family-centred care philosophy and to view parent and child as a whole. Future qualitative studies involving different family members and cultural context is recommended. In clinical practice, structured psychosocial support, effective nurse-parent communication, and environmental improvements in pediatric burn units should be prioritized.